Meet The Team - Maria Harris

1 December 2021

MARIA HARRIS

Title: Licensing Secretary

Role/Duties: Licensing of industry participants including completing renewals, Colours & Logo Registration, Sulky Registration & WOF, Penalty records.

How long have you worked at HRNZ? A long time... 31 years, job shared for 9yrs with Lyn O’Connell.

Are you involved in racing outside of work? If so how? I have a second job working for the RIB Stewards as a typist for Canterbury harness meetings. Until two years ago my husband was a thoroughbred trainer and also did a lot of breaking in and I used to work our racehorses.

What are your hobbies? I have a Thoroughbred by Duelled to ride, making improvements to our property and gardens which is a good set up for horses now. Following daughter Kimberly who competes as a swimmer.

Favourite horse from past or present? There have been a few favourites so it’s hard to choose but Valleymar was an unraced TB I competed and sold to America and that helped with a house deposit (when you could still find a cheap house). For harness horses Christian Cullen because of his presence and the way he won the Miracle Mile.

What was your first paying job? A paper round at primary school.

Favourite holiday destination? What holiday?? ... definitely somewhere really warm.

What do you like most about your job? Having an admin job which is horse related and all the great people in the racing industry which makes the job a mixture of work and entertainment.

What is something that not many people know about you? I've been to Europe but never Australia