Profile

From her initial contact with a racing stable where she combined office work with stable work for Malcolm Smith, Karen Zimmerman has desired and developed a very keen and competent interest.

Granted an Owner/Trainer licence at 25, Karen trained her first winner – Apollo Bay, a horse part owned by her parents in September 1989.

Whilst working full time at the Griffins biscuit factory Karen’s licence was upgraded to a permit to train licence. Amongst the 6 horses she had in work at that time included Govicar (9 wins) and Paddy’s Wish (8 wins).

Paddy's Wish in winning one of his eight races for Karen.

Paddys Wish....... seen winning one of his eight races for Karen Zimmerman

Upon being made redundant from Griffins in 1993 Karen took out a full trainers licence and moved to Levin where she purchased the property previously occupied by Errol Skelton bordering the Levin racetrack.

Due to the great results obtained by Govicar and Paddy’s Wish and the excellent way all the Zimmerman horses are turned out on raceday the team numbers swelled to 30 and with it came Group One Glory with the victory of Cinder Bella in the Captain Cook Stakes.

Cinder Bella wins the Kelt Capital Stakes.Her 2nd GROUP 1.

Cinder Bella - winning the Kelt Capital Stakes (G1)

In 1998 Karen married former Majestic Horse float driver Kelvin Zimmerman and together they are looking forward to continuing the success of Double K Lodge - success which has so far included a victory in New Zealand's most glamourous and exciting race, the Group 1- Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m).(Above), along with the Group 1 - Captain Cook Stakes ( Twice ).

In April of 2003 Karen and Kelvin moved the team to the former Ashford Park bordering the Otaki Racecourse.The facilities there are 2nd to none, and with the better facilities comes happier horses,thus making the management of a team of 30-40 horses much more efficient.

"I pride myself on the way my horses look and feel not only on raceday but at home in the stables" - Karen Zimmerman

Rodin continues the GROUP 1 winning ways for Karen Zimmerman