{{Short description|New Zealand harness racer (24 January 1935–18 February 2023)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2020}} '''Peter Tom Wolfenden''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MBE}} (24 January 1935 – 18 February 2023) was a New Zealand driver and trainer of Standardbred racehorses. He won the New Zealand drivers' premiership 14 times, including eight consecutive years from 1974, and twice won the Australasian Drivers Championship. He represented New Zealand seven times in the World Drivers Championship in harness racing, placing second in 1977 and third in 1971. He had 1762 career race wins in New Zealand as a driver, and 798 as a trainer.<ref>[https://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=100313 Wolfenden wins big at North Island Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130624213827/https://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=100313 |date=24 June 2013 }}. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2013</ref>
One of his most notable wins was in the 1963 New Zealand Trotting Cup, when he trained and drove New Zealand's top pacer Cardigan Bay.<ref> [http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race1.htm Harness Racing in New Zealand – New Zealand Trotting Cup results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801130344/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race1.htm |date=1 August 2009 }}</ref>
In the 1982 New Year Honours, Wolfenden was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for services to trotting.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=48839 |date=31 December 1981 |page=40 |supp=3}}</ref> He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>[http://www.nzhalloffame.co.nz/Inductees/W/Peter-Wolfenden.aspx New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame — Peter Wolfenden]. Retrieved 12 May 2013.</ref>
Wolfenden died on 18 February 2023, at the age of 88.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vale Peter Wolfenden |url=https://harnesslink.com/new-zealand/vale-peter-wolfenden/ |access-date=19 February 2023 |publisher=Harness Link |date=19 February 2023}}</ref>
==Big race wins== Peter Wolfenden's career included driving the following winners:
* 1984 Auckland Cup – Enterprise * 1983 Auckland Cup – Armalight * 1980 Rowe Cup – Special Pride * 1979 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship – Rondel * 1978 Auckland Cup – Sole Command * 1977 Rowe Cup – Framalda * 1987 New Zealand Trotting Derby – Motu Prince * 1977 New Zealand Trotting Cup – Sole Command * 1974 Great Northern Derby – Captain Harcourt * 1970 New Zealand Trotting Cup – James * 1969 Rowe Cup – Special Cash * 1968 Rowe Cup – Special Cash * 1966 Great Northern Derby – Governor Frost * 1965 New Zealand Trotting Cup – Garry Dillon * 1963 Auckland Cup – Cardigan Bay * 1963 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship – Cardigan Bay * 1963 New Zealand Free For All – Cardigan Bay * 1963 New Zealand Trotting Cup- Cardigan Bay * 1961 Auckland Cup – Cardigan Bay * 1961 Great Northern Derby – Waitaki Hanover * 1961 New Zealand Free For All – Cardigan Bay * 1960 Auckland Cup – Damian * 1960 Rowe Cup – Jewel Derby
==See also== * Harness racing in New Zealand
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolfenden, Peter}} Category:1935 births Category:2023 deaths Category:New Zealand harness racers Category:New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire