Kelvin and Aimee Tyler highlighted the season with 57 wins.
Riverton trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler flew the flag for Southland thoroughbred racing in the 2020-21 season with 57 wins. The father and daughter ended the season a mere one win behind Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman among the South Island trainers. It was a remarkable achievement for a stable based in a seaside town at the foot of the South Island and especially for Aimee in her third season as a trainer.
“The 57 wins, winning the Riverton Cup and racing against Melody Belle were the highlights for me.” said Aimee.
Tobilicious, trained by the Tylers, finished fourth behind Melody Belle in the group one Thorndon Mile at Trentham.
Aimee(26), the mother of Chloe (5) and Jack (2) has been involved with the stable for some eight years. “ I started when Dad was training horses from the farm at Otautau. Then I trained as a beautician and worked with the horses in the morning and from lunch time to 8 or 9 at night in the beauty business.”
“I am generally at home in the winter and Dad does the travelling to meetings,” she said.
Kelvin commented: “ Aimee never minded getting her hands dirty and she keeps me motivated.”
The Tyler's 57 wins is the best for a Southland stable since Rex Cochrane of Gore won 58 in the 1979-80 season. The record for a Southland trainer is 61 wins set by Ted Winsloe of Gore in 1964-65 when he led the New Zealand premiership.
The Tylers had a previous best total of 35 wins in 2018-19. Kelvin had won four races that season before he was joined by Aimee.
Kelvin has completed 14 seasons as a trainer with a best tally on his own of 38 in 2016-17. The Tylers began the 2020-21 season on August 1st winning races at Ashburton that day with Full Fury and Dr Velocious. They won races on tracks from Wellington(City Slicker in the Chalmers Handicap) to Riverton (Our Boy Ritchie in the listed $50,000 Riverton Cup). They ended the season with the 13 length win of Dunhill at Oamaru on July 25, 2021.
The stable amassed $937,779 in stakes and won races with 23 individual horses according to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
The Tylers scoreboard for the 2020-21 season:
5 wins: Flying Sardine & Our Boy Ritchie.
4 wins: Full Fury, He’s Got Power, Ringadingding & So Much Mour.
3 wins: Rosie Glow, Dr Velocious, Dunhill & Fill Ya Boots.
2 wins: Kilowatt, Pinhead, Pete The Driver, Zambesi Flyer, City Slicker & Lightning Jack.
1 win: Ying Resolute, Zac Black, Classic Diva, Tyler Eight, Gas Monkey, King Of The Castle & Transcendent.