The Patersons' very generous RDA donation

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

A dispersal sale held in North Canterbury earlier this year has resulted in a major bonus for the NZ Riding for the Disabled (RDA).

Rob (aka "Bolty") and Lynne Paterson sold their Rangiora property and then auctioned off all their farming and racing  gear including a double horse float, a ride-on mower, a tractor, a chaff cutter and numerous other items. The auction was conducted by Rural Livestock in February.

After commissions the sum raised from the clearing sale was around $70,000 - with the proceeds going to the Riding for the Disabled in Rangiora and Christchurch.

"I've always admired the RDA and the work they do with horses and the community," says Paterson.

"It really is a great cause .. they are changing lives."

For The RDA it's been a real boost. 

"It came completely out the blue," says the Rangiora's RDA's Kerry Eyles, "we were just blown away by it."

They are still finalising what they will do with the money though a portion will be spent on providing shade cover for their horses during summer.

"It was just so generous," says Eyles, "everyone is incredibly grateful."

The Christchurch RDA is using their cash injection on operational costs for things like farrier work and overheads.

The auction followed a "lifestyle change" for the Patersons. They have downsized considerably, though still living locally.

'I've gone from having 166,000 square metres (16 hectares) to 1000 square metres," he laughs.   

"It used to take me four hours on a ride-on mower to do the lawns now I can do it with a push mower in an hour."

According to HRNZ records Paterson has bred/raced/owned around 50 horses over the years, many with his great mates, the likes of David Butt and Ken Barron.  

"Right now I have horses in work with Davey and Bob Butt, Regan Todd, Tom Bamford, and Andrew Stuart here as well as Brent Lilley in Australia," he says. 

Decades of horse ownership started with his first horse as a teenager.

"It was nil but it certainly didn't put me off did it?"

It seems he got the bug - and got it bad.

"The first fast work I ever did was with Idolmite at Waikouaiti beach."

Among Idomite's many achievements were winning back to back Hannon Memorials in 1980 and 1981. All told she won 17 from 81 in an era that saw her race regularly against the likes of Bonnie's Chance, Delightful Lady, Hands Down, Lord Module and Gammalite.

Over the last 20 years he's also been a trainer on and off with five wins in total, beginning with Smooth Louie at Forbury Park in 2007. His most recent win was with Tubby Jim at Westport in 2014.

Of the good horses he's been associated with he says they have been none better than multi Group-winning mare Habibti. Co-owned by the Patersons as well as David and Catherine Butt (pictured above), who trained the horse, she had 16 wins including the 2013 Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Derby.

She's since had six foals including Resolve (11 wins) and Confessional (9 wins). Paterson shares in the ownership of both.

"She is now in foal to Muscle Hill which is pretty exciting," says Paterson.   

Paterson is well-known in Canterbury racing circles especially and the next generation is also involved, with daughter Ally recently marrying Ohoka-based trainer Tom Bamford.

"We had a lot of people from the racing fraternity there - and there were some sore heads afterwards."

As for why Rob is universally known as "Bolty"?

"It's a long story," he says.

One that will have to keep for another day.