Sir Allan Frederick Wright (25 March 1929 – 27 November 2022) was a New Zealand farming leader and businessman. He was president of

Federated Farmers Federated Farmers of New Zealand is a lobby and advocacy group for all farmers: arable including fruit and vegetables, dairy and meat and their often remote communities. It has a network of 24 regional organisations and six industry groups. F ...

between 1977 and 1981, and served as the first chancellor of Lincoln University.

Early life and family

Wright was born in Darfield,

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...

, on 25 March 1929, one of twin sons born to Quentin Alford Wright and Winifred Annie Wright (née Jarman). He was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch. On 22 January 1953, he married Dorothy June Netting at St Paul's Anglican Church, Papanui, and the couple went on to have five children. Wright's twin brother, Geoff, played first-class cricket for

, and was the father of New Zealand Test cricket captain John Wright.

Career

Wright started farming a mixed arable farm near

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

in 1946. He joined the Sheffield Young Farmers' Club in 1949, and went on to serve as the national president of Young Farmers' Clubs in 1958. In 1973, Wright won the A. C. Cameron Royal Agricultural Society gold medal for excellence in farming. Active in the North Canterbury branch of Federated Farmers, Wright served as chairman of the meat and wool section from 1967 to 1971, and president between 1971 and 1974. At a national level, he was senior vice chairman of the meat and wool section of Federated Farmers from 1971 to 1972, junior vice president in 1973, senior vice president from 1974 to 1976, and president of Federated Farmers of New Zealand between 1977 and 1981. In the 1982 New Year Honours, Wright was appointed a

Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

, in recognition of his service as president of Federated Farmers. Wright was appointed a government representative on the Lincoln College Council in 1973, and became chair of the council in 1986. When Lincoln gained full autonomy as a university at the beginning of 1990, Wright became the inaugural chancellor of the university, serving in that role until 1994. His term as chairman and chancellor was characterised by significant roll growth and an increasing diversity in courses offered at Lincoln, with a consensus leadership style. Wright held many governance roles in business. He was director of companies including Southpower, Alliance Textiles, New Zealand Rail, the Rural Bank, and

FMG Insurance FMG Insurance (formerly Farmers' Mutual Group) is a mutual insurance company in New Zealand that was established from a merger of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Association, Taranaki Farmers' Mutual Insurance Association and Primary Industries Ins ...

Cricket

Wright played for the

Canterbury Country cricket team The Canterbury Country cricket team represents the rural areas of the northern part of the Canterbury Region in the South Island of New Zealand. It covers the area east of the Southern Alps, between the Clarence River in the north and the Rakaia ...

and was the first of their players to score 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets. He helped to establish the North Canterbury Cricket Association and led its representative team in its first

Hawke Cup The Hawke Cup is a non-first-class cricket competition for New Zealand's district associations. Apart from 1910–11, 1912–13 and 2000–01 the competition has always been on a challenge basis. To win the Hawke Cup, the challengers must beat t ...

campaign in 1967. He later served as selector, board member, chairman and president of Canterbury Country. Wright served as a board member of the

New Zealand Cricket Council New Zealand Cricket, formerly the New Zealand Cricket Council, is the governing body for professional cricket in New Zealand. Cricket is the most popular and highest profile summer sport in New Zealand. New Zealand Cricket operates the New Z ...

from 1968 to 1990. He was elected president of New Zealand Cricket in 1993, and was honoured by being made a life member of the organisation at the end of his term in office. He managed several New Zealand national teams at home and on tour, including the 1983 tour to England. At the time of his death, on 27 November 2022 at the age of 93, Wright was patron of the Canterbury Country District Association.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Allan 1929 births 2022 deaths People from Darfield, New Zealand People educated at Christ's College, Christchurch New Zealand farmers New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire New Zealand businesspeople Businesspeople awarded knighthoods New Zealand cricket administrators Chancellors of Lincoln University (New Zealand)