Wanganui racing man dies

Press, 12 January 1977, Page 7

Wanganui racing man dies

Special correspondent Wanganui A former Wanganui Jockey j Club president and prominent racehorse owner Mr Francis Featherston Newman, has died at Wanganui in his ninety-first year. Wellington bom. Mr Newman was educated at Wellington Col lege and later studied law at Oxford. He practised in Britain before loining the British forces in 1914 He served in the Ro.val Artillery, rose to the rank of; captain, and was aw arded the; Military Cross. On returning to New Zealand after World War 1 he settled at “Arlington.” Wanganui, whore he farmed for the remainder of his; working life. Mr Newman was closely allied with racing. He joined the Wanganui Joekev Club in 1930, was a committee member between 1939-1962 and served as president from 1949 to 1952 when' he was elected a life member. Mr Newman was the chib patron from 1971 until his death. He invariably had a horse in training, his most successful being the pre-World War II galloper, a one-eved horse, The Bigot. In the last 20 years he has been represented by Yorker. Arlington Red Label and currently Samsa, which is in training at Wanganui. Mr Newman’s contribution to racing was recognised when the Wanganui Jockey Club named a< i premier open event, the F F. 'Newman Handicap.