Donated to Westlake Boys High School by Sir John Hood (Westlaker, 1965 – 1969)

Presented to Sir John Hood on 29 March 2009, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to academia and education during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

This oar, marking Oxford’s victory in the 2009 Oxford – Cambridge Boat Race, is a symbol of the respect and appreciation for Sir John’s tenue with the University of Oxford.

Sir John Hood, patron of Westlake Boys’ Hood House, was a Westlake student from 1965-1969 and an outstanding pupil in many respects. He won the Rowan P. Kelly Memorial Prize (English) in 1968 and 1969 and was a solid 1st XI Hockey contributor as well as a knowledgeable 1st XI Cricket Captain, setting a fine example with his batting and fielding. John, a right-hand opening batsman gained selection in the Auckland Secondary Schools Cricket in 1969 where he top scored in the match against Waikato, earning him a trial spot for the Brabin Cup Team. John was a conscientious Deputy Head Prefect and became Dux in his last year at school. He gained a Junior Scholarship in the Scholarships exam and attended Auckland University where he took a BE and a PhD in Civil Engineering. John went on to become a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and also gained a Master of Philosophy in Management Studies from Oxford.

For almost two decades John worked in senior positions for Fletcher Challenge Ltd, where he steered the Paper, the Building and the Construction divisions.  He was a Director of ASB Bank Limited, ASB Group, Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd and Chairman of Tonkin & Taylor Ltd, The Knowledge Wave Trust and the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee.  In 2002 was appointed by Helen Clark as a member of the Prime Minister's Growth and Innovation Advisory Board. He has also served as New Zealand Secretary for The Rhodes Trust and was a member of the Council of the University of Melbourne.

John never lost his passion for sports. He chaired the America’s Cup Task Force and acted as a Governor and Executive Board Member of the New Zealand Sports Foundation. In 1995 New Zealand Cricket engaged him to chair its major operational, strategic and governance review of the sport, resulting in the Hood Report. In 1996 he chaired the Prime Minister’s Think-Tank on High Performance Sport.

Before his appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford in 2004, John was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland from 1999 - 2004. During the five year term at the Uiversity of Oxford, John Hood was appointed a Business Ambassador by the British government, served on the DTI Advisory Board, as well as serving on a number of university-related bodies. 

On 29 March 2009, Oxford defeated Cambridge in the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race along the River Thames. The race, the 155th edition, was won by Oxford by 3 and a half lengths. The Oxford crew was the heaviest in the event's history and included five Olympic rowers. This victory marked Oxford's fourth win in the last five years and their seventh win of the decade. 

As a sign of respect and gratitude for Sir John’s service and commitment to his role as Vice Chancellor at the University of Oxford, the university presented Sir John with the Boat Race Oar which has been proudly displayed in Sir John’s home for the past 16 years.