Lois Howe

1938 - 2022

Lois was born in 1938.  She attended Newcastle Hunter High school to 5th year then completed a Batchelor of Arts before becoming a school teacher, teaching English, history and geography.  Lois taught firstly at Narrabri and then Taree, Kurri, Jesmond and Morisset.

Lois was a keen swimmer and hockey player and played “A Grade” hockey but she also had a passion for horses and at about 12 years of age attended Tracy’s Riding School where she learnt the basics, and went on trail rides.

As Lois got older she went to the horse sales at Maitland and over the years purchased a variety of ponies and horses and finally her love of the thoroughbreds led her to the thoroughbred sales in Scone and Sydney.

Most of the yearling thoroughbreds Lois purchased had some ability with the occasional yearling being exceptional like Burraboolee (Special Kingdom x Melody Barb).  Burraboolee gave Lois the inspiration to introduce the “Burraboolee Perpetual Trophy” for best thoroughbred performance at the annual HVDA Championships, he retired in luxury until the age of 33.

Lois trained with Doug Green in Sydney and attended a school in Sydney with Franz Maringa.  She competed on Jean Pierre to Prix St George level.

Lois was involved with Newcastle Pony Club and, as most of the members were city kids, it was her ambition to teach them to ride in all disciplines. To this end on weekends she arranged various bush rides and on the school holidays camps were arranged to Medowie, twice to Morisset, Tanilba House and eventually on a 100 mile ride through the Hunter Valley.

Lois was also involved with a riding club that was granted permission to use a parcel of land at Holmesville which had to be cleared before it was suitable to use.  The grounds were utilised for sports days which included hack and riding classes, sporting events and show jumping.

From this start the HVDA was formed on 2nd June 1976 by members of the riding clubs in the area.  Several training schools were held at the Holmesville grounds with Doug Green before the club relocated to Maitland Showground with the first dressage competition being held in 1978.

One of Lois’s greatest achievements with HVDA was the organisation and running of the first Championships at Maitland Showground in 1981 when competitors entered from NSW and Queensland and in 1983 HVDA lodged a successful application to hold the State Championships.

Lois was president of HVDA from 1979 – 1983 and again in 1985.

Courtesy of Jan Cummings.