Four brothers and a sister comprise the O'Neill family, of Hatches Bay, New Zealand, and they have a record without a blemish in the business of breaking horses. No outlaw has entered their yard without leaving it a well-mannered, tractable and completely tamed horse. The four brothers were successful jockeys before they made horse taming a hobby. One of them was commanded by Queen Alexandra to appear at Marlborough House to show his skill.
MY brothers, Ern, Sid and Clarrie, like myself, were jockeys. When weight told its tale, Clarrie took out a jumping rider’s licence, and Ern, Syd and myself became trainers. From early childhood we seemed to be able to succeed with horses with which other people could do no good. No matter where you go in New Zealand you will hear it said that no horse could best the O'Neills. My eldest brother Ern taught us all we knew about horses. Before he joined up with the Ormond Stud he rode many winners for Mr JD Ormond. So keen were we all on outlaws and buckjumpers that we staged a rodeo
