Trevor John McKee (22 September 1937 – 5 April 2019) was a New Zealand

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse trainer. He was best known as the trainer, in partnership with his son Stephen, of the champion racehorse

Sunline Sunline (29 September 1995 – 1 May 2009) was a champion New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who was the world's highest earning race mare of her time. She won 32 of her 48 races with earnings of NZ$14,200,000. She was named t ...

Biography

McKee was born in the Thames Valley and started his racing career as a jockey. He trained at Takanini and for a while in partnership with Colin Curnow and later in partnership with his son Stephen, before retiring in 2006. McKee trained or co-trained a number of other high-class horses, including: * Bisett, winner of the 1981 Wellesley Stakes * Bunker, winner of the 2002

Hawke's Bay Guineas The Hawke's Bay Guineas is a major Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand for three-year-old horses. In 2003 the stake was boosted to $100,000 and the race was moved to the first Saturday in October, meaning that it is run on the same day as the K ...

* Ebony Honour, winner of the 2005

Trentham Stakes The Trentham Stakes is a Group 3 weight-for-age race held for thoroughbred racehorses at Trentham Racecourse near Wellington, New Zealand conducted by the Wellington Racing Club. Held over 2100 metres in January, it is seen as the main lead-up ...

* Flying Luskin, winner of the 1990

Wellington Cup The Wellington Cup is a Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand held annually in January by the Wellington Racing Club at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham, New Zealand, Trentham. History Inaugurated in 1874, the Wellington Cup has been ra ...

and Challenge Stakes * Interval, winner of the 1997

Awapuni Gold Cup The Awapuni Gold Cup is held annually in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It is a set weight and penalties race over 2,000 metres. History First held in 1915, the race has been won by many of New Zealand's most famous racehorses including: * Balme ...

New Zealand St. Leger The New Zealand St. Leger is a major thoroughbred horse race run at Trentham Racecourse in New Zealand on New Zealand Oaks day in March each year. Race conditions and scheduling It was run over 2500m up until 2018 and 2600m from 2019 onward, it ...

and

* Moonshine, winner of the 1994

Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes The Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes is a Group One horse race held for Thoroughbred two-year-olds at Awapuni Racecourse in Palmerston North, New Zealand run over 1400 metres in late March or early April. The race was first run in 1908 over 1200 m ...

and Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes. * Natural, winner of the 1984

Great Northern Foal Stakes Great Northern Foal Stakes is a horse race in New Zealand. It is a listed 2 year-old race over 1400m run at Ellerslie Racecourse. The race is currently known as the Auckland Futurity Stakes. Up to 1998 it was run in late January and was a group ...

* Royal Tiara, winner of the 1985

Auckland Cup The Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC). It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres (two miles) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race was ...

* Solveig, winner of the 1985

New Zealand Oaks The New Zealand Oaks is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run at set weights over a distance of 2400 metres ( miles) on the third Saturday of March every year at Trentham Racecourse in Wellington, New Zealand. It was ru ...

, 1986 Avondale Cup and

Captain Cook Stakes The TAB Classic is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run at weight-for-age over a distance of 1,600 metres (1 mile) at Trentham Racecourse in Wellington, New Zealand. Known for many years as the Captain Cook Stakes, in 2023 it became known as the ...

* Super Fiesta, winner of the 1989 Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes In the

2002 New Year Honours New Years' Honours are announced on or around the date of the New Year in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supplements to the London G ...

, McKee was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit () is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have r ...

, for services to racing and the community.

References

1937 births 2019 deaths Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit New Zealand racehorse trainers Sportspeople from Waikato {{NewZealand-horseracing-bio-stub

Biography

See also

References