HARTLEY ROY SELLARS

NZ Truth, Issue 1128, 14 July 1927, Page 6

HARTLEY ROY SELLARS

Secretary of New Zealand Racing Conference

'."*••. ■ , THE ringing clatter of hoofs, eyes aglow and faces flushed with excitement, whispered words m the ears of the flying steeds and a deafening oheer . as the bunch passed the winning-post. ; "Good for you, Roy, your mare can go some!" would be the ungrudging tribute of the other boys, for it usually happened that when it came to. a contest m which rider and horse combined, young Hartley Roy Sellars finished "streets" m front of his opponents. But these excitements are now only happy memories of his boyhood m Auckland. To-day Sellars is known from one end of the Dominion to. the other as the secretary of the New Zealand Racing Conference. , It was but natural that Hartley Roy Sellars should have migrated to the important post he now holds. Almost from the day he was: born m Auckland, 43 years ago, he has been a lover of horseflesh. A strapping, sturdy youngster, he was m the saddle almost as soon as lie could toddle. Ho was always happiest when mounted on a spirited mare and dashing off at a gallop anywhere at any time. But, of course, he could not live altogether m the saddle. He had .to go. to school and afterwards think about his career. And, as Sellars will tell you m that quiet, bell-toned voice of his, and with a smile at the recollection, he had serious thoughts -as a boy of becoming a doctor. But boyish dreams are often outgrown and Fate takes a hand

sometimes to alter the whole course of things. • So it was with Sellars. A good opening offe r c d when he left school m the office of Alex. Aitkens, the Auckland auctioneer. He remained there for a year and then . accepted a better post m the office of J. B. McFarlane, a big merchant. Eighteen months later saw him enter tho employ of Wi l " liam Clarke, sharebroker and trustee. Clarke had a team of polo ponies, and it was not long before -young Hartley Sellars was aware of the fact. Those' ponies drew him as a magnet attracts steel. He could not keep away from them, and it was no surprise when he voluntarily took over the duties of "trainer." At any rate, so keen was he that every morning at 5 a.m. young Sellara was out of bed and he had the team out exercising. That he had still to be at the office at 9 a.m.' did not deter him from carrying on with the ponies. "Yes, that was a labor of love with me and J enjoyed looking after them." he will tell - you. But the time came when he left Clarke , and his ponies to

join up with the New Zealand Insurance company .m AjicKiana. _s remained with the firm for five years, and divided the period between Auckland and Wellington. , x , , „ . r His love of horses and all matters relating to them, however, was by now beginning to bear fruit. In 1908 he came under the notice of the . Racing Conference, when he was offered and accepted a post as understudy to the then secretary, W. H. E. Wanklyn. ■ " a ■ Sellars fitted into his new job from the very first day, and his sound oommercial training and natural knowledge and love of horses soon marked him down as a man with a future. But it was not until Wanklyn's retirement, m 1818 that Sellars came into his own, and m that year he was appointed seoretary of the Conference. 7 . How suooessf ul he has been all who have anything to do with the activities of the Conference well know; he ehjoya a wide reputation as a sound and thorough business man and an all-round good sportsman. . / Amateur athletics, tennis, golf and yachting are among the sports that Interest him, but his greatest hobby is work. If he has a vice at all it Is his exoessive modesty; he is no lover of the limelight where he himself Is concerned.