Burnett, O'Shea and Milne - Deserved Recipients of Life Membership of Gore Racing Club. 1981.

Arthur Burnett, Martin O'Shea and Tom Milne were awarded life members of the Gore Racing Club which was thoroughly deserved as between them all they had racked up 100 years as members and 74 years as stewards, and all three of them have been president of the club.

Martin O'Shea of Gore, a former representative of Southland Rugby raced was a member for 38 years and a steward for 28. 
Tom Milne, who is a farmer from Oteramika, is both a former representative of Southland Rugby and Southland Athletics, and has been a member for 35 yrs and steward for 26 yrs.
Arthur Burnett, from Nine Mile Creek, raced 'Cogitation' and has been a member for 27 years and a steward for 21 years.
These three men truly deserve this prestige recognition and want people to not forgot what they have done for racing.
Arthur was a former amateur rider, owned Half-Way Bay Station , Wakatipu, with his father for more than 30 years.  He clearly remembers his first win as a rider on 'Black Banner'.  He tells the story that as he was legged up on to the horse he over-heard Paddy Boyle say to Joe Boyle, that " Arthur will be sure to fall off".  Joe told Paddy not to worry "as it would give the crowd a decent laugh".  He clearly recalls that they were beaten by a nose but says that they should have won by half the length of the straight.  Arthur served as a steward of the birdcage and loved every minute he remembers fondly horses such as 'Cogitation', 'Lochie River'
'Participation' and 'Henry Dawson'.  
Tom Milne, a returned servicemen has fond memories of his own horses, 'Anouk', 'Beaumont' and 'Falamai'.  'Anouk' won the 1964 Eastern Southland Steeplechase, and the 1965 J.S. Hazlett Memorial Hunt Steeplechase.  'Anouk' was trained by Rex Cochrane.
Tom and Martin have been very prominent in the judicial room and say that jockeys present themselves well and their behaviour is exemplary, which comes through from what they are taught at apprentice schools.