Breeder has died

Press, 18 December 1976, Page 21

Breeder has died

NZPA Melbourne A leading racehorse breeder died on Tuesday night after being electrocuted in a freak mishap during a wind storm at Avenel, 128 km north of Melbourne. Police said Mr Steven William Defina, aged 30, maried with two children, died instantly after stepping on a live S.E.C. wire while fighting a grass fire. Mr Defina was the owner of the plus “Malabar Park” Stud farm, described as one of the showpieces of the Australian thoroughbred industry. “It was the most unreal accident I have seen in more than 20 years in the police force,” a police officer at nearby Nagambie said. He said high winds in the area ■ just after 10 o’clock last night ! had snapped the crossbar on a > pole carrying high tension wires. | As the wires dropped to the ; ground they sparked off a grass- ■ fire on the 323 hectare property i that was purchased only a few I weeks ago by Mr Defina.

Skl-ing —Annemarie Moser, of Austria, fives times winner of; the World Cup before retiring in : 1975 scored a surprise victory ! in the first women’s downhill of j the new season at Cortina | Dampezzo. Italy.