Dr Luk Chin recognised in King's Birthday Honours

DR LUK SUN CHIN, Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit

By Michael Guerin

One of horse racing’s most enduring and loved characters says he “is a bit embarrassed” about being honoured in today’s King’s Birthday Honours.

“It is a lovely honour but I have so many other people’s help in all facets of my life,” says Chin.

And what a life that is. 

Away from harness racing, Dr Chin has worked as an anaesthetist, pain and intensive care specialist for more than 50 years.

The 83-year-old helped establish Waikato Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and Pain Service in 1975, at the time only the second in the country. In 1991 he co-led the development of the Anglesea Medical Centre in Hamilton, Waikato’s first same day surgical unit, now operating as an elective surgical hospital. 

He has since contributed significantly to the establishment of further private healthcare facilities in the region, including in Tauranga, Cambridge, and the Franklin Day Hospital in Pukekohe. 

He has created a fund to provide financial assistance for future registrars wanting to advance their studies of anaesthetics.

All that while Dr Chin trains harness horses every day before work that has bred and owns for over 40 years and still driving them in races at tracks like Alexandra Park against professional horsepeople 60 years his junior.

“The horses help keep me young. That and moving and staying active, you have got to keep moving in life. 

“And this is nice for harness racing, which doesn’t get recognised as much as the galloping code. So I’m proud of that.”

Dr Chin may treat harness racing more as a hobby but he has been one of the more enduring and popular members of the northern harness community.

He has the rare record of having over 100 winners that he bred, owned and trained himself, driving most, almost all trotters.

Dr Chin is one of three racing personalities recognised today with Te Akau founder and boss David Ellis knighted (Knight Companion of the Order of Merit) while Auckland Thoroughbred Racing chair Doug Alderslade was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.