Merv Maynard facts for kids

Mervyn "Merv" Maynard (born around 1931 – died 9 April 2017) was an Aboriginal Australian jockey. He was a very successful jockey who won many races over nearly 50 years.

Early life

Mervyn Maynard was born around 1931. His father was Fred Maynard, an Aboriginal activist. His mother was Minnie Critchley, an Englishwoman.

Mervyn's early life was not easy. His father was watched by the police because of his political work. This meant Mervyn and his siblings sometimes faced dangers. Once, Mervyn and another Aboriginal boy were taken to the police station, which scared him.

His father died in 1946 when Merv was still a teenager. Merv started working at a pharmacy in Lakemba, a suburb in western Sydney. He washed bottles there. Later, he got a job delivering mail for the local post office.

Career as a Jockey

Career Highlights

Mervyn Maynard's career as a jockey lasted for 46 years. Between 1949 and 1994, he rode over 1,500 winning horses. He raced in four different countries: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Malaysia.

He won the top rider award at the Newcastle Jockey Club twice. He also rode a winning horse every single year from 1948 to 1994. This included 18 wins in country cup races in New South Wales.

In the 1950s, a famous trainer named Tommy Smith chose Mervyn to ride for him. Mervyn even rode in the famous Melbourne Cup race in 1952. He also rode for well-known owners like Frank Packer. In 1951, he almost won the Epsom Handicap, losing by a tiny bit in a photo finish. Later in his career, he had big wins at Randwick Racecourse. These included the AJC Shorts Handicap and the AJC Canonbury Stakes.

During his long career, Mervyn raced against many great Australian jockeys. Some of these included Lester Piggott, Darby Munro, Billy Cook, and Scobie Breasley.

Starting Out and Early Wins

When Mervyn visited his aunts and uncles in Newcastle, he often went to the Newcastle Racecourse. Back home in Lakemba, he visited the Canterbury Park Racecourse. A trainer named Keith Tinson noticed him. Mervyn was offered an apprenticeship in Newcastle after spending a day helping with Tinson's horses. During his year-long training, he worked seven days a week, starting at 3 AM.

Mervyn had his first wins in the 1948–1949 season at Newcastle, winning eight races. The next season, he won 10 races.

In July 1951, while still an apprentice, Mervyn was riding Waratah King in the Doomben 10,000 race. The horse fell, and Mervyn was thrown off.

In 1952, Mervyn won the Queen's Cup at Randwick Racecourse. Mervyn was only 19 years old. He won the race as a surprise on a horse called Salamanca, which was not expected to win. The race was supposed to be a contest between two favorite horses, Hydrogen and Dalray, ridden by experienced jockeys.

Mervyn's only regret was not meeting Princess Elizabeth, who later became Queen Elizabeth II. She was supposed to give out the trophies with her husband, Prince Philip. However, they had to return to England because her father, George VI, passed away. Even so, the young princess remembered Mervyn's win. Forty years later, during a visit to Australia, she asked to meet him.

Also in 1952, Mervyn rode Ocean Spray in the Caulfield Cup.

Around this time, when he was still under 21, he received an offer from two brothers, Run Run Shaw and Run Me Shaw. They wanted him to be their main jockey in Singapore and British Malaya. Mervyn wanted to go, but the Australian Jockey Club said they would not give him an Australian jockey's license if he left.

He continued to ride in Australia. He developed a special bond with a horse named Alinga. Alinga was a black gelding (a male horse). Mervyn won 19 country races on Alinga before they started racing in the big city circuits. Alinga soon won important races and became a favorite in some, even being an equal favorite with Hydrogen in Brisbane. In October 1953, Alinga broke his leg. After trying to save him for a few weeks, the horse had to be put down. Soon after this, Mervyn turned down a big offer from a famous stable in Melbourne. Instead, he chose to ride in country cup races for many years, where he achieved many wins.

Riding Abroad

In 1958, Mervyn accepted an offer from New Zealand trainer Larry Wiggins. He rode there for about a year. After returning in 1959, he started riding in city races again. He won his second top rider award at Newcastle in 1960 and many other important races.

He then rode in Singapore and Malaysia for four years. His wife, Judy, went with him. He rode for trainer Keith Daniels there. He won the Penang and Sultan's Cups and rode winning horses for the Sultan of Johor. He returned to Australia in 1964.

In 1981, Judy, Mervyn's wife, was given a trainer's license. This was unusual for a woman at that time. In 1982, Mervyn had a serious accident. He fell from a horse and was trampled. He was very fit for a 50-year-old, so he recovered quickly. He was back riding just three months later and continued to win races for another 10 years.

Later Life and Recognition

Mervyn Maynard finally stopped riding in races on 1 August 1994, when he was 62 years old. However, he continued to ride horses during trackwork for several more years.

Merv and Judy Maynard had a son, John Maynard, who is a historian. They also had five grandchildren. Merv and another famous Aboriginal jockey, Darby McCarthy, shared their love of horseracing with John. John has since researched and written about Aboriginal horsemanship.

Merv Maynard passed away on 9 April 2017, at the age of 85.

Recognition and Awards

On 22 February 1992, Mervyn Maynard met Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Randwick. The Queen had asked to meet him. She wanted to meet the jockey who won the first Queen's Cup. They talked about horses and racing for about 40 minutes.

Mervyn was honored by being added to the Aboriginal and Islander Sports Hall of Fame. He considered this his greatest achievement.

When he died, newspapers like the Newcastle Herald published articles remembering him.

In NAIDOC Week 2020, Racing.com featured Mervyn Maynard. They highlighted him along with four other "Indigenous Australians who have left their mark on racing." These included Darby McCarthy, Frank Reys, Leigh-Ann Goodwin, and Rod Bynder.