Hundreds attend service for Sholto Matthews

By John Jenkins - racing news 

More than 200 people turned out for a memorial service for long time Hawke’s Bay Racing and Polo stalwart Sholto Matthews at the Hastings racecourse last Saturday.

Matthews passed away on December 19 and a private funeral was held soon after. But the family wanted to put on a memorial service for a man who had left a lasting impression on so many people, in various ways, and so it was held on what would have been his 80th birthday.

Sholto Matthews was born in Gisborne, where he spent most of his early life. He later made moves to Ashburton, Wellington and the Waikato before finally settling in Hawke’s Bay.

During his life he had been an amateur jockey, a stock agent, a successful polo player, a club administrator, a highly regarded polo commentator, a farmer, an accountant, a successful racehorse owner and a much-valued board member and steward of Hawke’s Bay Racing.

Matthews represented Poverty Bay in polo for many years, competing alongside the famous Kirkpatrick brothers in teams that took out several national titles.

He dabbled as an amateur jockey, when working for a Gisborne trainer, but only ever rode one winner and that was at the beach races.

 Matthews and his wife Diana left Gisborne and moved to Ashburton where Sholto continued playing polo and also became a committeeman of the Ashburton Racing Club. Another move saw them shift to Wellington where, unfortunately, there was no polo club for him to continue his pursuits as a player. But his passion for the sport never waned and, after moving to the Waikato and then to Hawke’s Bay, he took up a role as a polo commentator and was regarded as one of the best in the country. He also served many years as a committeeman of the Hawke’s Bay Polo Club.

 His other passion was thoroughbreds and he had shares in several horses over the years, most of whom were trained by Bruce Marsh.

 Sir Nova was undoubtedly the most successful. The son of Sir Avon was small in stature but had a heart as big as a lion, chalking up 12 wins and nine minor placings from 48 starts and amassing more than $180,000 in stakemoney.

 The horse’s biggest success came in the $A100,000 Chairmans Handicap (2020m) at Doomben, in Queensland, in May of 2000 and he showed his versatility by winning a 1400m race at Eagle Farm a month later.

 Fulmar was another successful galloper Matthews had a share in and he included the listed Townsville Cup (2080m) among his 11 wins while he and trainer Bruce Marsh also bought a Vice Regal yearling from the sales one year that was later called Snowbound.

 I was given the job of syndicating that horse, with Matthews and Marsh both retaining a share. He won on debut over 1200m at Gisborne and picked up another two wins in Queensland before being sold to a group of Australian buyers.  

 Sholto Matthews qualified himself as an accountant through attending night classes and had his own private accountancy business, one that started off with just a few clients and built to around 100.

 He was a long serving board member of Hawke’s Bay Racing and, upon retiring from that position, he continued as a race day steward for the club up until the time of his sudden death.

 Sholto was a peoples’ person, who endeared himself to everyone he met with his very forthright, yet jovial manner.

 He had an affectious smile and, in later years, he played an integral part in the area of hospitality at Hawke’s Bay Racing. He was a regular figure in the special winners’ circle room on course where he greeted owners, trainers and visitors and catered for their needs.

Sholto is survived by his wife Diana, his three children Susie, Annie and Henry and his many loving grandchildren.

Article added: Monday 24 February 2020