Roy Purdon

Roy Cleveland Purdon MBE (16 February 1927 – 2 February 2022) was a notable New Zealand harness-racing trainer. He was New Zealand's leading trainer in 21 seasons, either on his own or in partnership with his son, Barry.

Roy Purdon MBE
Born	Roy Cleveland Purdon (1927-02-16)16 February 1927 Auckland, New Zealand
Died	2 February 2022(2022-02-02) (aged 94) Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation	Harness-racing trainer
Spouse	Margaret Hughes ​ ​ (m. 1954; died 2015)​
Children	4
Relatives	Mark Purdon (son) Tony Herlihy (son-in-law)
Horse racing career
Significant horses
Chokin Christopher Vance Comedy Lad Framalda Hi Foyle Luxury Liner Melton Monarch Petite Evander Scottish Charm Sole Command

Early life and family

Purdon was born in the Auckland suburb of Freemans Bay on 16 February 1927,^[1][2] the son of Hugh Purdon, a Scottish immigrant.^[3] At the age of 14, he suffered an injury while playing rugby that resulted in his spending six weeks in hospital and six months with a cast around his hips, and left him with a permanent limp.^[3]

In 1954, Purdon married Margaret Hughes, and the couple went on to have four children,^[1] including sons, harness-racing trainers Barry and Mark Purdon, and daughter Suzanne, who married harness-racing driver Tony Herlihy.^[4]

Harness racing

Purdon began training with his father on a 400-metre track in New Lynn, but it was from the 1970s until 1995 that he dominated harness racing in New Zealand and Australia.^[3] Over that period, he wom the New Zealand premiership for leading trainer 21 times, on his own or in partnership with son Barry. The pair trained four New Zealand cup winners: Sole Command in 1977; Luxury Liner in 1988; Christopher Vance in 1991; and finally Chokin in 1993.^[4] In total, Purdon recorded 2019 race wins in New Zealand—1463 with Barry and 556 in his own right—including 54 Group One wins, as well as many more in Australia.^[3][4]

In the 1989 New Year Honours, Purdon was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to harness racing.^[5]

Later life and death

Purdon retired from training in 1995.^[3] He died in Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, on 2 February 2022, aged 94,^[3][6] having been predeceased by his wife, Margaret, in 2015.^[7]