The Cambridge Stud legacy continues to grow, with current co-principal Brendan Lindsay appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King's Birthday Honours for his services to business and philanthropy.
Lindsay purchased the renowned operation off founder Sir Patrick Hogan, who received the same honour 25 years ago for services to the thoroughbred industry.
“Sir Tristram (former Cambridge Stud stallion), Sir Patrick and now Sir Brendan,” Lindsay said. “It is a real honour, and you are joining a pretty exclusive club. It is a bit surreal, and we are over the moon obviously, it’s great.
“We are going to have a bit of fun and enjoy it with the family today, so that’s the main thing.”
While Lindsay, and his wife Jo, are major players in the thoroughbred industry, it’s Lindsay’s deeds outside the sport that led to Monday’s honour.
He founded plastics storage container business Sistema Plastics in 1982 and built it into a global food storage brand. He was recognised for his achievements when he was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to business in 2012, and eight years later he was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to business.
Lindsay sold Sistema to an American firm in 2016, with the buyer committing to keep production in New Zealand for 20 years. He started Sistema in his garage, and he said he had no idea of the heights his business would take him.
“I was just trying to pay the mortgage, I never thought anything else but that at the time,” he said. “There’s never quite enough hours in the day when you first start your business.”
Following the sale of Sistema, the Lindsays established the Lindsay Foundation to support New Zealand charities, focusing on family, education, disabilities and animal welfare.
The many charitable organisations assisted include Pet Refuge, Starship National Air Ambulance Service, New Zealand Riding for the Disabled and Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust.
Lindsay is a foundation partner of The Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata in Le Quesnoy, France, which commemorates the 122 New Zealand soldiers who died liberating that village from occupation at the end of the first World War, with no loss of life to the town residents.
“We are in a privileged position, and we need to enjoy it and help other people on the way that aren’t quite as fortunate as us,” Lindsay said.
“We try to make a bit of a difference wherever we can, and that (philanthropy) gives you a great deal of pleasure.”
While the Lindsays get great satisfaction from their charity work, thoroughbred racing is their other passion, and one they have substantially invested in over the last few years, headlined by their state-of-the-art training facility in Karaka, and world-renowned farm in Cambridge.
The Lindsays gain great enjoyment from racing and breeding, and it forms a part of their life motto.
“It is about enjoying life,” Lindsay said. “We are not going to live forever, so we need to make the most of it and create a new memory every day, that’s our motto.”
While rapt to receive Monday’s honour, Lindsay said he was just as pleased when he found out fellow thoroughbred racing identity Catriona Williams, founder of the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust, has been appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to spinal cord injury research and equestrian sport.
“When I read the paper this morning, I saw Catriona’s name first and thought ‘that is so cool’,” Lindsay said. “She is such a wonderful person.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
