• Title
  John Clift oral history interview by Louise Darmody
• Creator
  Louise Darmody
  Mary Elizabeth Hill
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  9 May 2013
• Type of material
  Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Oral Histories
• Reference code
  9675765
• Physical Description
  2 audio files (2 hr., 45 min.) - digital, WAV, stereo (44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  John Arthur Clift (1924-2016), excelled in the horse racing industry for over 65 years as an administrator, breeder, racehorse owner and advocate for NSW Country Racing. John established the Dip Stud near Breeza, owned the famous Kia Ora Stud near Scone and was a life member of Thoroughbred Breeders NSW. John was best known as the breeder of ‘The Goondiwindi Grey’, Gunsynd, who won 29 races and was named Australian Champion racehorse in 1972. John served continuously from 1944 to 2014 on the boards of race clubs in Gunnedah, Tamworth and Muswellbrook. John passed away in Sydney in February 2016 at the age of 91.
  
  Reference:
  
  Library correspondence file
• Collection history
  Louise Darmody was commissioned by Mary Hill, a friend of John Clift, to research and record John Clift's stories.
• Scope and Content
  John discusses his early family history in Australia including his convict ancestor Samuel Clift and growing up as an only child at The Dip Homestead in Breeza, a sheep, cattle and wheat farm in northern NSW. He describes his first experiences of horse riding, and schooling at Saint Ignatius' College Riverview during the late 1930s. He talks about post-school farm work at home, his introduction to horse racing and breeding, meeting his wife Patricia and family life with their nine children. John provides a detailed account of breeding and selling champion racehorse 'Gunsynd' and moving to Kia Ora Stud, Scone to breed and work with horses more seriously.
  
  John discusses the death of his wife and mother and injury to his youngest son in a car accident. He also talks about his return to Tamworth from Scone, his growing involvement in local jockey and race clubs, subsequent relationships and his experiences with his extended family, including 19 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
• Copying Conditions
  In copyright:
  Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
  Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
• General note
  
  In his interview John Clift mentions ‘Aboriginal men’ who worked for him shearing. His recollections are fond and respectful.
  Recorded at SBS Studios, 14 Herbert Street, Artarmon, New South Wales on 9 May 2013
• Creator/Author/Artist
  Clift, John Arthur, 1924-2016
  
• Subject
  Clift, John Arthur, 1924-2016--Interviews.
  Horses--Breeding--New South Wales.
  Horse racing--Australia.
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE20783465

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