Gareth Downey

General Manager

Born way up north in New Zealand, Gareth’s passion for horses started when he was a young boy growing up on his parents’ dairy farms. He became fascinated by equine pedigree analysis and channelled that into the purchase of his first yearling filly from the yearling sales in Sydney in 2001. Macavelli Miss cost $8,000, was trained by Roger James and went on to win a Gr.1 in 2006.

Gareth completed management studies majoring in accounting and finance at Waikato University and went on to work in the bio pharmaceutical industry where he became General Manager of a large internationally owned and run organisation with offices in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the USA. In 2011 Gareth was able to translate his passion for thoroughbred breeding and racing into his professional life by taking up a role with Waikato Stud in Matamata. He began hands-on and learned all the facets of horse handling and care from some of the best in the business. Gareth went on to head up Kevin Hickman’s Valachi Downs in 2019 until it’s closure in 2022 due to Kevin’s ill health.

Gareth joined Lindsay Park on 26 September 2022 as General Manager, locating himself at their world class facility in Euroa. Becoming an integral part of the Hayes team and playing a role in stewarding their legacy is something he feels is an honour and a privilege. Luckily, through his Australian wife, he already has an AFL team to support but will always be an All Blacks fan at heart.