Woolf Fisher
Encyclopedia
Sir Woolf Fisher was an East Tamaki
, New Zealand
, businessman and philanthropist
who co-founded Fisher & Paykel
, a major appliance
manufacturing company, and the Ra Ora Stud, an important Thoroughbred
racehorse
breeding operation.
Born in Wellington
, his family moved to Auckland
where he studied at Mount Albert Grammar School
. Woolf is the oldest brother of renowned fashion entrepreneur and philanthropist, Gus Fisher
. A salesman turned businessman, Fisher was involved in a number of successful New Zealand enterprises. He served as the first chairman of New Zealand Steel Ltd.
In 1960, he established the Woolf Fisher Trust to provide funding that maintained the salaries of post-primary schoolteachers and principals while sending them overseas to further their education. Fisher also supported the Outward Bound
Trust of New Zealand and in 1961 became its first president.
Fisher was knighted in 1964 for his contribution to New Zealand's economy and for his philanthropic works. He died in 1975 while at his vacation home on the lake at Rotorua
. Following its formation, in 1994 Woolf Fisher was inducted in the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.http://www.enzt.co.nz/~enztWeb/halloffame/2005/hof2005.htm
enthusiast who was responsible for the revival of the Auckland Polo Club in 1955, Sir Woolf became a major figure in the sport of Thoroughbred racing. In 1950 he established Ra Ora Stud at Mount Wellington
whose success led to new facilities being constructed in 1962 on 71.6 hectares at East Tamaki, just out of Auckland. The breeding farm stood important stallions
such as Soviet Star, Nassipour
, Desert Sun, and Marju
, among others. Ra Ora Stud continued in operation after Fisher's death in 1975. Run by a Board of Trustees for his estate http://www.woolffishertrust.co.nz/wft/profile.htm, it closed in 2001 and its bloodstock sold at auction.http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19750516&id=k3cQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OJIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5201,3825428 http://www.nzb.co.nz/sales/sale.cfm?sale_id=56
Sir Woolf served on the Board of Directors
of the Auckland Racing Club for 17 years, with two years as its president.
East Tamaki
East Tamaki is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. This is a mixed residential, light industry and retail area which is growing rapidly. Prior to the 1960s this was largely a dairy farming area. A landmark is Smales Mountain which in 2010 has the remains of an old Pa, a stone field garden, an early...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, businessman and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who co-founded Fisher & Paykel
Fisher & Paykel
Fisher & Paykel is a major appliance manufacturing company based in East Tamaki, New Zealand.Originally an importer of domestic refrigerators, Fisher & Paykel now holds over 420 patents and bases its identity on innovative design, particularly in the areas of usability and environmental...
, a major appliance
Major appliance
A major appliance, or domestic appliance, is usually defined as a large machine which accomplishes some routine housekeeping task, which includes purposes such as cooking, or food preservation, whether in a household, institutional, commercial or industrial setting...
manufacturing company, and the Ra Ora Stud, an important Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
breeding operation.
Born in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, his family moved to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
where he studied at Mount Albert Grammar School
Mount Albert Grammar School
Mount Albert Grammar School, or MAGS, is a co-educational secondary school in Central Auckland, New Zealand. It teaches from year 9 to year 13. Mount Albert Grammar is one of the largest secondary schools in the country...
. Woolf is the oldest brother of renowned fashion entrepreneur and philanthropist, Gus Fisher
Gus Fisher (fashion)
Gurshon "Gus" Fisher ONZM is a philanthropist and a former leading figure in the New Zealand fashion industry. He headed the fashion house El Jay for 50 years, introducing Parisian style to New Zealand, and was the New Zealand agent for Christian Dior for 33 years from 1955 until 1988...
. A salesman turned businessman, Fisher was involved in a number of successful New Zealand enterprises. He served as the first chairman of New Zealand Steel Ltd.
In 1960, he established the Woolf Fisher Trust to provide funding that maintained the salaries of post-primary schoolteachers and principals while sending them overseas to further their education. Fisher also supported the Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
Trust of New Zealand and in 1961 became its first president.
Fisher was knighted in 1964 for his contribution to New Zealand's economy and for his philanthropic works. He died in 1975 while at his vacation home on the lake at Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
. Following its formation, in 1994 Woolf Fisher was inducted in the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.http://www.enzt.co.nz/~enztWeb/halloffame/2005/hof2005.htm
Thoroughbred racing
A poloPolo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
enthusiast who was responsible for the revival of the Auckland Polo Club in 1955, Sir Woolf became a major figure in the sport of Thoroughbred racing. In 1950 he established Ra Ora Stud at Mount Wellington
Mount Wellington
Mount Wellington may refer to:Mounts* Mount Wellington in Canada* Mount Wellington in Australia* Mount Wellington in Australia* Mount Wellington, New Zealand in Auckland, New ZealandOther...
whose success led to new facilities being constructed in 1962 on 71.6 hectares at East Tamaki, just out of Auckland. The breeding farm stood important stallions
Stallion (horse)
A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded .Stallions will follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck, as well as a somewhat more muscular physique as compared to...
such as Soviet Star, Nassipour
Nassipour
Nassipour was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Australia. Bred in Kentucky by the Aga Khan, his sire Blushing Groom was the 1977 European Champion Three-Year-old and who would be the 1989 Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland. Nassipour's dam was Alama, a daughter of the...
, Desert Sun, and Marju
Marju
Marju is a retired a Thoroughbred racehorse bred by Kilcarn Stud and owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum. He was sired by Last Tycoon out of Flame of Tara....
, among others. Ra Ora Stud continued in operation after Fisher's death in 1975. Run by a Board of Trustees for his estate http://www.woolffishertrust.co.nz/wft/profile.htm, it closed in 2001 and its bloodstock sold at auction.http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19750516&id=k3cQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OJIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5201,3825428 http://www.nzb.co.nz/sales/sale.cfm?sale_id=56
Sir Woolf served on the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the Auckland Racing Club for 17 years, with two years as its president.