David Goodin prepares to cut the cake for his 90th birthday celebrations as sister-in-law Mary Lean watches along with daughter-in-law Christine Goodin in the background.
The champagne was flowing in Hamilton at the weekend as David Goodin, his family and friends came together for a luncheon on Saturday to celebrate his 90th Birthday. It was a family affair with equestrian son Bruce, twins Neil and Stuart joining him, at an event that Anne had been planning for the past months.
“I did some research and worked out where people were travelling from and found a centrally located restaurant that could manage 52 people. There were a lot more people we would have liked to invite, but we hoped to get a good mix of family, friends and equestrians who have been important to David,” says Anne.
Some of the long-time friends who came included Merran Hain, and Earle Adlington who had been David’s farrier for fifty years. On the tables, Anne put photographs of ten of his favourite horses and a sentence about each. Daughter-in-law Christine baked and decorated the cake, and Stuart and Neil sang ‘The Farmer in the Dell’, especially adapted by Stuart, as an ode to their father. Unfortunately, David and Anne’s daughter Catherine was unable to be there.
David was delighted that Bruce was able to come to the celebration, and had managed to spare a week to fly from Sweden for his dad’s birthday, within his busy schedule.
“Of the three boys, one was MC, one proposed the toast, and the other one replied to it on David’s behalf. David enjoyed it very much,” says Anne.
David was inducted into the ESNZ Hall of Fame earlier this year. He had competed at HOY for decades, riding well into his 80s and played an instrumental role in the riding careers of so many athletes.
An outstanding equestrian and horse breeder, David was the first captain of the New Zealand showjumping team. He is greatly respected within the equestrian community. Congratulations David!
Birthday boy David Goodin