Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM

Director

Businesses thrive when they have people like Karyn in their team: diligent, professional, experienced, able to see the big picture, but attentive to the smallest detail, modest, yet full of character.

From Timaru, Karyn is a product of a well rounded upbringing and schooling, with great friends, and spreading her wings she has used the essence of those formative years during a terrific journey on her life path.

Educated on scholarship at a girls’ Anglican school, she was awarded an AFS Scholarship in her final year of secondary school and had the experience of her life, studying in Austria, Europe – hence her fluency in German as well as English.

Karyn married David in 2004. Her work is vast and varied: syndications, communications, client liaisons, marketing, social media, website, and co-hosting owners and friends with David at Te Akau Stud. She is a Licensed Syndicator with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.

Karyn and George Simon were the two inaugural TAB Trackside Television presenters employed when the channel began in 1992, then called Action TV – later Trackside.  Karyn hosted the Retro, Weigh In and First Call programmes, as well as being a studio presenter in a broadcasting career that stretched for 26 years.  She was also a founding broadcaster with Radio Trackside.

Head of Trackside Operations, Richard Ellerington, said: “She’s an amazing person, truly professional”.

She co-hosted the Karaka Premier Sale coverage for 10 years and was MC for the Horse of the Year Awards on many occasions. She was presented with the Media Award in 2012, an honour that drew praise from respected television broadcaster, TV journalist and media trainer Owen Poland: “The thing with Karyn is that she is just one of the most professional in the business”.

Karyn was also World President of Junior Chamber International (Jaycees) in 2000, having been elected unopposed in Cannes, France, and in 1989 had been the winner of the World Public Speaking Competition Final in Britain. She was also awarded the rare Trinity College of London Exhibition Award for speech and drama, one of only three globally in that year.

Karyn;s incredible life and contribution was recognised win the 2014 New Year Queen's Honours List when she was bestowed with an MNZM (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit) for services to the community, to the Arts, and to racing. Her investiture by the Governor General took place Government House, Wellington in March 2014.

She has two daughters: Lydia (and Jamie Roseby) & Julia-Rose (and Hamish Hayes), grandchildren Lucia-Rose Hayes and Harrison Roseby and adores her two dogs, both adopted from NZ Blind Low Vision – and she is proud Co-Patron together with David of EquiPotential (formerly Riding for the Disabled, Hamilton).

Karyn can always be contacted [email protected]