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The Doyle horse dynasty that originated in Doyleston
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TitleThe Doyle horse dynasty that originated in Doyleston
DescriptionJoseph Hastings Doyle (1840-1921) had a love of horses and great knowledge of horse flesh of all codes.
As explained in "Joseph Doyle Enters the Coaching Business", from 1870 he was a coach proprietor in the Ellesmere area and following the arrival of the railway, from Doyleston to Taumutu.
He then moved to Fairlie to manage the coach service between Fairlie and Mount Cook for a short time, before he bought a farm. Joseph retired to Ashburton where he died.
His eldest son, William John Doyle Snr. (1870-1928) inherited a love of horses from his father.
He married Jane (Jennie) McCausland and they took over the Doyle interests in Doyleston.
He was a successful owner and breeder of thoroughbred, and Standard bred horses as well as draft horses and was a founding member of the Ellesmere Trotting Club.
William and Jennie had four children William Jnr, Gordon, Laurel and Daphne.
After Jennie died, William married Elsie Hibberd and had four more children, Shona, Herbert, Jeffery, and Valerie.
He took ill in November 1928 and died of peritonitis leaving a wife and young family. He was one of best-known men in Canterbury and beyond.
William J. Doyle Jnr, known as Billy, (1905-1988) and his sister, Laurel, who was a show rider and the first woman licenced to train gallopers in the South Island, trained and raced horses together.
Laurel married James Campbell. She trained Thurina to win the 1933 New Zealand Grand National and in 1937 Willie Win was placed second in the Melbourne Cup, and in 1944 Kharj won the Wellington Steeples.
Billy after buying ‘Rothway’ from his stepmother Elsie (Hibberd), added to the property and proceeded to set up as a part-time trainer building up to a large string of horses.
He gained his owner, trainer, driver's licence in 1925 and drove in the famous registered Doyle colours of Gold, white band and sleeves, cerise cap.
Their sister Daphne married Allistair McPherson of Sedgemere. She was also a great rider.
Their brother Gordon married Evelyn Parkin and settled in Southbridge. He excelled as a Gun Club shooter and was a valued builder in Southbridge.
In 1930, Billy’s horse, Lament was the original wearer of the ‘white bridle’ that the Doyle horses used for forty years.
Lament was a winner of nine free-for-all races.
In-The-Mood and Light Mood and all the Doyle horses had great success over the years wearing the white bridle.
Passive was the dam of the following: Reflective, Chances Are, When, So Rare, Asia Minor, Remember When, Wipeout, Someday and Snoopy. She was bred out of Violet Rack by U Scott.
When won $40,000 racing at Yonkers in New York in 1963. On returning to NZ she was put to stud and her total stake earnings was $80,000.
In New Zealand she produced: Now, Live Twice, and other winners.
Billy was one of Canterbury’s leading stock dealers and having purchased ‘Glazebrook’ at Te Pirita, he stocked it with cattle and sheep.
He was stopped driving horses, aged sixty-five, by an age ban.
He had competed against some of the finest drivers in the world including: Gladdy McKendry, Dil Edwards, Freeman Holmes, Ces Donald, Ossie Hooper, Maurice Holmes and Maurice McTigue. They asked for no quarter and you gave them none.
Billy married Helen Henriette O’Brien and they raised three daughters; Helen (Pope), Denise (Nyhan), Lynn (Smith) who all have racing interests along with their husbands and children.
W.J. (Billy) Doyle died aged 82 on Monday 28 April 1988 after a lifetime with horses.
Shona McCartin, Doyleston.
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date1 October 2020 SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDoyleston
DescriptionJoseph Hastings Doyle (1840-1921) had a love of horses and great knowledge of horse flesh of all codes. As explained in "Joseph Doyle Enters the Coaching Business", from 1870 he was a coach proprietor in the Ellesmere area and following the arrival of the railway, from Doyleston to Taumutu.
He then moved to Fairlie to manage the coach service between Fairlie and Mount Cook for a short time, before he bought a farm. Joseph retired to Ashburton where he died.
His eldest son, William John Doyle Snr. (1870-1928) inherited a love of horses from his father.
He married Jane (Jennie) McCausland and they took over the Doyle interests in Doyleston.
He was a successful owner and breeder of thoroughbred, and Standard bred horses as well as draft horses and was a founding member of the Ellesmere Trotting Club.
William and Jennie had four children William Jnr, Gordon, Laurel and Daphne.
After Jennie died, William married Elsie Hibberd and had four more children, Shona, Herbert, Jeffery, and Valerie.
He took ill in November 1928 and died of peritonitis leaving a wife and young family. He was one of best-known men in Canterbury and beyond.
William J. Doyle Jnr, known as Billy, (1905-1988) and his sister, Laurel, who was a show rider and the first woman licenced to train gallopers in the South Island, trained and raced horses together.
Laurel married James Campbell. She trained Thurina to win the 1933 New Zealand Grand National and in 1937 Willie Win was placed second in the Melbourne Cup, and in 1944 Kharj won the Wellington Steeples.
Billy after buying ‘Rothway’ from his stepmother Elsie (Hibberd), added to the property and proceeded to set up as a part-time trainer building up to a large string of horses.
He gained his owner, trainer, driver's licence in 1925 and drove in the famous registered Doyle colours of Gold, white band and sleeves, cerise cap.
Their sister Daphne married Allistair McPherson of Sedgemere. She was also a great rider.
Their brother Gordon married Evelyn Parkin and settled in Southbridge. He excelled as a Gun Club shooter and was a valued builder in Southbridge.
In 1930, Billy’s horse, Lament was the original wearer of the ‘white bridle’ that the Doyle horses used for forty years.
Lament was a winner of nine free-for-all races.
In-The-Mood and Light Mood and all the Doyle horses had great success over the years wearing the white bridle.
Passive was the dam of the following: Reflective, Chances Are, When, So Rare, Asia Minor, Remember When, Wipeout, Someday and Snoopy. She was bred out of Violet Rack by U Scott.
When won $40,000 racing at Yonkers in New York in 1963. On returning to NZ she was put to stud and her total stake earnings was $80,000.
In New Zealand she produced: Now, Live Twice, and other winners.
Billy was one of Canterbury’s leading stock dealers and having purchased ‘Glazebrook’ at Te Pirita, he stocked it with cattle and sheep.
He was stopped driving horses, aged sixty-five, by an age ban.
He had competed against some of the finest drivers in the world including: Gladdy McKendry, Dil Edwards, Freeman Holmes, Ces Donald, Ossie Hooper, Maurice Holmes and Maurice McTigue. They asked for no quarter and you gave them none.
Billy married Helen Henriette O’Brien and they raised three daughters; Helen (Pope), Denise (Nyhan), Lynn (Smith) who all have racing interests along with their husbands and children.
W.J. (Billy) Doyle died aged 82 on Monday 28 April 1988 after a lifetime with horses.
Shona McCartin, Doyleston.
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date1 October 2020 SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationDoylestonConnections
CollectionHistory of DoylestonOrganisationEllesmere Historical Society
OrganisationEllesmere Historical SocietyAttribution
Researched ByShona McCartinWritten ByShona McCartin
Written ByShona McCartinClick on the image to add
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The Doyle horse dynasty that originated in Doyleston (1 October 2020 ). Selwyn Stories, accessed 15/06/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5305