The Hando family have operated one of the oldest working harness racing studs in Australia – Rosewood Stud – since 1922 so fittingly they were recognised at the Arthur J Gallagher Industry Awards Night in Sydney on Saturday.
Awarded the Harness Breeders NSW Outstanding Service to the NSW Breeding Industry honour, this family dynasty have dedicated almost 100 years of contribution to the harness racing industry in NSW.
Started by Bill and Ethel Hando, the Stud was passed onto Eric and Dorothy and is now operated by Graeme and Lynn.
It will be passed in future years onto Graeme and Lynn’s daughters and only then will the surname Hando not be readily identified with the Stud.
Hando’s mare Bronte is recognised as an Australian foundation mare. Many great pacers of today trace back to her from the early 20th Century.
Stallions which have been on top of the sires’ ranks in Australia have stood at Rosewood Stud include Peak Hill, Silver Peak, Scottish Brigade, James Scott and Tarport Bill amongst those champions.
The Hando draft of yearlings offered each year at the Sydney Sales were always in demand and in 1960 Rosewood Stud sold a colt for an Australasian record of 5,000 pounds.
The Hando family also raced countless top class pacers which were multiple Harold Park winners.
Peak Hill won the 1941 Sydney Derby which carried 1,000 pounds in prizemoney – a huge amount for that era.
Silver Peak an absolute champion won the Victorian AG Hunter Cup.
While Scotirra won the Spring Cup at Harold Park in 1965 and 1966 as well as heats of the Inter Dominion.
Royal Three was one of the most sensational juveniles ever to race in NSW.
The entire Hando family have been on the Committee of the Peak Hill Trotting Club with Bill, Eric and Graeme all serving as President at some stage.
The Hando Family were the 2012 Bathurst Gold Crown Honourees and Eric Hando was named a Living Legend of Harness Racing in 2004.
Amanda Rando