Not many of those go on to be made life members.
Even fewer are presented with that life membership by their fathers, who are also life members.
Graham Sinnamon and Richard Morgan both achieved that at the Central Otago Trotting Club AGM on Wednesday night.
The pair were given the recognition, their fathers Lionel Sinnamon and Jim Morgan — both past presidents — on hand to award it to them.
Both had essentially been "born into it" and had filled multiple roles over the years, including becoming club presidents themselves.
They have trained and driven, but also done much of the background work involved in running the club on the committee.
Both had been honoured by the recognition and the fact their fathers had been on hand for the presentation had made it all the more special.
"My dad’s 82 and Jim I think’s 93. The fact they’re still interested in the club and coming along to AGMs is amazing in its own right," Sinnamon said.
"It shows the esteem they hold the club in themselves that they still come along.
"To be able to present the second generation of the family in that way made it more special.
"Life memberships in themselves aren’t handed out easily or regularly. To have it that way just makes it more unique."
Both had plenty of passion for the club and felt it was key to keep it going for the community.
Neither had found it difficult to keep going, having always been around and filling whatever role needed to be filled.
Morgan had begun aged 10 in 1965 when his father was involved with setting up the club.
He went to every working bee the club had and, after finishing a rugby career in which he played for Otago, joined the committee in the 1980s.
The Sinnamon family had been involved with horses going back generations, originally gallops.
Graham said the love for it was key in keeping going.
"We’re just dreamers," he said.
"We’re not the New Zealand Cup-winning families; we’re just in it for the love of the game.
"If you were in it for money you’d have given it up a long time ago.
"We’ve always had an interest in the horses which led us into the club in the first place and we’ve filled all sorts of roles over that time."
Racing had hit tough times recently and the gallops club had closed, leaving the trotting club to solely run the Omakau course.
However, both men planned to continue with the club to keep it alive and give the next generation a chance to enjoy it.
