An early notable sire

Press, 8 June 1989, Page 17

An early notable sire

The skeleton of the racehorse Traducer has often been the object of public interest and research, but no researcher has been more constant than Vai Burr, of Palmerston North, whose interest in horses drew her to the displayed skeleton when on a visit to the Canterbury Museum some years ago. By the time she began her research, building alterations had necessitated Traducer’s removal from display to virtually inaccessible attic storage. The four years of correspondence which flowed between he? and museum staff required considerable historical research and a hazardous climb by the curator of vertebrate zoology into the storage area to determine the condition of various skeletal parts.

Traducer is once more on display, and Vai Burr has shared with the public her research results. Traducer was by The Libel from Arethusa, bred in 1857 by Zacharia Simpson at Diss Stud, Norfolk, England, where he raced seven times for one win and two third placings. About 16 hands high, he was brown in colour and often passed on his distinctive white blaze to his descendants. After his retirement he was one of 10 thoroughbreds purchased by the visiting Canterbury runholder, Launcelot Walker, from Sir Thomas Lennard. Also included was the extremely successful broodmare Mermaid purchased from Baron Rothschild. They were shipped aboard the Kensington in February, 1862,

but the voyage of 162 days was one of the longest on record and initially so rough that Walker apparently considered throwing them overboard or selling them at the Cape of Good Hope. The ship put in at the cape for one week to replenish stores and water, and the horses were put ashore to graze — probably saving their lives. A fellow Canterbury runholder, David Innes, was also aboard and he purchased at sea the remainder on behalf of himself and his partner, William Hyde Harris. The Kensington eventually arrived in Lyttelton with the loss of only one horse. After being stabled in Christchurch for a time the horses were taken to Innes’ station, Pareora. W. C. Webb had been stud groom in charge for the voyage, and he

later became a successful trainer at Riccarton from his stables at the Bush Inn.

Used for thoroughbred breeding, Traducer was not at first highly regarded by the racing fraternity. He produced few pure bred foals, but the assortment of part breds became noted for their abilities. Amongst his several owners was Edward Curry, who purchased the horse in 1864 for £6O, charging £3 or £4 for stud duties. Curry’s Mt Torlesse station diary for that period is held in the museum archives. Traducer became known for his aggressive temperament, a legacy from his own sire, and he was incorrectly reported to have killed a groom. He did attack his drunken groom during the 1864 Christchurch A and P Show and was ordered from the grounds as

a dangerous horse. His groom, however, had reputedly, been beating him — and even into old age Traducer loathed the presence of any groom who showed the slightest sign of alcohol. He changed hands at least 15 times. Of the nine New Zealand owners, George Duppa purchased him in 1865 and charged £5 for his services. John W. Mallock had ownership in 1867 and Stephen Nosworth in 1869. It was not until after Traducer had been sold to the Wanganui breeders, Walker and Daniel, in 1870, that his stock began to be appreciated. He came to be recognised as New Zealand’s first great thoroughbred sire. Classic winners sired by him include several Canterbury Jockey Club, New Zealand Derby Stakes winners: Scandal, Envy, Defamation, Calumny, Trump Card, Natator, Sir Modred, The Dauphin and Cheviot. Other winners were Lurline, Templeton, Netrayer, Le Loup, Sir Modred and Welcome Jack.

Sir Modred was remarkably versatile. A noted accomplishment was his double win in 1882 at Riccarton of the weight-for-age Canterbury Cup, and the weight-for-age Railway Plate.

Vai Burr considers he was possibly the first New Zealandbred horse to be imported into America for stud duties, having been purchased by J. B. Haggin for his huge Rancho del Paso in the Sacramento Valley, California, where he went on to become leading American sire in 1894.

By

JOSIJ LAING

Museum ftetesi

In 1872 Traducer returned to Canterbury in triumph, albeit through the Port Hills in an open railway carriage. Edward G. Griffiths was his owner in 1873, charging a stud fee of £2O. He sold in 1876 to the Middle Park Stud, Riccarton, where Traducer was finally destroyed in 1880, suffering from “the combined effects of old age and chronic rheumatism.”

Traducer had lost all strength in his hindquarters and spent his last days in a sling. According to his obituary in the “Canterbury .Times” of July 3, 1880, “his skeleton goes to the museum and we hear there are numerous appliants eager to obtain some relic of this famous old horse.” His portrait was painted by E. J. Brock in 1877, a lithograph of which was published in "The New Zealand Country Journal” of January, 1880, together with an article on him.

John Edward Hanson, of Riccarton, wrote a series of articles for the “Star” in 1919, entitled “Reminiscences and Racehorses,” in which he recounted Bob Derrett asking Sir James Carroll why the thoroughbred Riddlesworth would have been imported to / New Zealand as early as 1843. "Derrett,” Sir James replied, “the thoroughbred and the Englishman are inseparable; where ever you find an Englishman you will find a thoroughbred.” Perhaps it is for this reason that the skeleton of Traducer was in 1880 thought worthy of retaining for public display.