Steve Old
Pukekohe,New Zealand
Summary
Seasoned professional in general and operations management with comprehensive experience leading teams, optimizing processes, and implementing cost-effective strategies. Skilled in strategic planning, staff development, and operational efficiency, consistently improving workflow and reducing costs. Proven track record of enhancing overall business performance through effective leadership and innovative problem-solving.
Overview
40
40
years of professional experience
Work History
Director
Lawn Rite Franklin
Pukekohe, Auckland
11.2021 - Current
- Start up Franchise purchased after Covid lockdown providing lawn & garden services
- Currently have around 70 regular fortnightly clients turning over $3000 per week
- Upgraded from 1 push mower to commercial grade ride on
Head Animal Wrangler
Desert Warrior
, Saudi Arabia
11.2020 - 02.2021
- Started prep on film to include 100 camels, 300 sheep, hyenas, cheetahs, 500 birds, 80 horses etc
- Negotiated deals with Saudi military to secure livestock & facilities
- I didn't complete it due to COVID
Operations Team Leader
Waiheke Bus Company
03.2017 - 06.2020
- Company Overview: The Waiheke Bus Company is the largest on the island with a fleet of 35 buses & 60 staff
- Voted best in the Auckland region for customer service & top ten winery tours internationally
- Responsible for managing the daily operations of the business including driver training, urban services & tourist products
- The Waiheke Bus Company is the largest on the island with a fleet of 35 buses & 60 staff
- Voted best in the Auckland region for customer service & top ten winery tours internationally
Director
Waiheke Horse Tours
10.2014 - 02.2017
- Created a boutique horse riding business on Waiheke Island
- Emphasis on providing a personal high end experience for all levels of riders with a philosophy of teaching people how to communicate well with horses
Horse Coordinator
Hercules - The Thracian Wars
Budapest, Hungary
05.2013 - 10.2013
- Responsible for script breakdowns, budgets, logistical planning & sourcing / managing riders & drivers for battle scenes & ensuring AHA requirements were met
- Liasing with all departments for filming sequences
Head Animal Wrangler / Horse Master
The Hobbit
Wellington, New Zealand
09.2010 - 08.2012
- Head of Department responsible for animal department formation, budgets, training facility, animal purchasing / leasing, crew hire, animal & cast training, AHA reqs, logistics studio / locations & on set filming action
- 2 ½ months were spent on location from Matamata to Glenorchy with animals & crew spread over 2 units
- Like no other department we organised all of our own location movements for animal, crew & equipment
Horse Coordinator
War Horse
Chertsey, England
04.2010 - 09.2010
- Responsible for horse department formation, scheduling, budgets, logistics & sourcing / casting riders for battle scenes
- Ensuring AHA reqs were met
Director
FarOut Events Ltd
03.2005 - 05.2010
- Created & organised The Great New Zealand Trek, a multi day fully supported event to take walkers, horse riders & bikers the length of NZ in annual stages while fundraising for MS
- Attracting around 300 participants each year for a unique off-road experience.
- Responsible for all aspects of the event including marketing, route access, logistics, health & safety & crew
Horse Coordinator
Clash Of The Titans
Chertsey, England
05.2009 - 09.2009
- Responsible for horse department formation, scheduling, budgets, logistics & on set coordinating
- Ensuring AHA reqs were met
Horse Master
The Warriors Way
Auckland, New Zealand
09.2007 - 02.2008
- Responsible for horse department formation, budgets, training facility, training, horses, actors, riders & on set filming
Horse Coordinator / Stunts
10,000 BC
Cape Town, New Zealand, South Africa, Namibia
04.2006 - 09.2006
- Responsible for the horse department while performing as a stuntman
- Including sourcing horses, riders & equipment in NZ
Field Logistician
Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
Sudan
06.2004 - 12.2004
- Responsible for providing logistical support for MSF activities in Bentiu, Sudan
- Duties included completing construction of a 160 bed hospital with malaria, TB & Kala Azar programmes running
- Other duties were communications, security, vehicles, electricity, food, water sanitation, waste management, stores, living compound mgt & support for the medical team in a conflict zone
- Responsible for 100 Sudanese staff
Director
FarOut Shower Hire Ltd
01.1997 - 04.2004
- Teamed up with an engineer to design, build & market a unique portable hot shower system capable of showering large numbers of people anywhere
- Shower systems successfully used at major events throughout NZ including Lord of The Rings filming, music festivals, rallies & events
Stunts
King Arthur
Dublin, Ireland
07.2003 - 11.2003
- Stunt double for Mads Mikkelsen 'Tristran'
- Performed in fight scenes on horseback, foot & PineWood tank
Horse Coordinator
The Last Samurai
New Plymouth, New Zealand
08.2002 - 06.2003
- Established a training facility & developed
- Buying & selling horses & Equipment, hiring crew & administration of the horse department
Horse Coordinator / HOD
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Wellington, New Zealand
06.2001 - 07.2002
- Responsible for Horse Department operations including 40 crew & up to 250 horses & riders over various locations
- Training riding extras to work as 'soldiers' in formation
Horse Coordinator / HOD
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Wellington, New Zealand
07.2000 - 07.2001
- Studio based position during prep, production & post production on non horse filming days
- In charge of calling action on set
- Auditioned several hundred horses & riders to build a team of 250 Riders of the Rohan
- Trained & supervised horses & riders for charge sequences & general horse action in remote locations as well as providing onsite living & horse grazing
Director
FarOut Events Ltd
10.1995 - 07.2001
- Created, marketed and organised large multi day events
- Total of eight horse Rides in Australia & NZ
- Primary roles were to prepare & coordinate 'The Great NZ Horse Ride' & 'The Great NZ MTB Ride' as annual eight day events that erect a new campsite each night in remote locations for hundreds of participants & crew
- Specific responsibilities included designing the route, gaining access, sponsors, brochure design & distribution, volunteers, equipment, media comms & fundraising for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of NZ
- The 1996 Great NZ Horse Ride attracted 483 riders making it the largest of it's kind in the world
- Rides programme raised over $200,000 for MSSNZ
Horse Coordinator
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Wellington, New Zealand
06.1999 - 06.2000
- Responsible for sourcing several hundred horses & riders for South Island filming
- Coordinated horses, riders & cast for training & filming as required
- Coordinating training for cast, filming locations etc
- Ran a major casting call across the country auditioning hundreds of horses & riders to build a comprehensive database for the shoot
Event Organiser
Hamilton City Council
Hamilton, New Zealand
01.1999 - 01.2000
- Organised Hamilton City's largest street party attracting 10,000 people to celebrate New Year 2000
- Grew budget from $40,000 to $189,000 through sponsorship & grants
National Sales Manager
Frenzi Action Wear
Melbourne, Australia
01.1991 - 10.1995
- Overall responsibility for 'run-swim-cycle' clothing product range
- Specific tasks included acting as liaison between manufacturing and design personnel, maintaining and building customer relations and increasing brand recognition throughout Australia
- Increased customer base by 50%
- Assisted in the development of company's most successful product range
- Initiated athlete sponsorship programme
- Launched company's first fashion show
Contract Fencer
Betta Fencing Company
Reading, UK
08.1989 - 10.1990
- As part of a small team and then later as the team leader would dismantle and construct a range of fences in the London area
- Developed planning, efficiency, fitness and team leadership skills
Infantryman
Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment
06.1985 - 04.1989
- Soldier trained in various areas of field combat with the rank of Corporal
- Learned to work in a team situation for long periods of time in extreme conditions
Education
University Entrance - English, Maths, Geography, Economic Studies
School Certificate - English, Maths, Geography, Science, Agriculture, Horticulture
Drivers Licence - Class 1,2,3,4,5,6,P
Skills
- Leadership
- Logistics
- Problem Solving
- Communication
- Team Building
- Professional Service
- Budget Management
- Working Under Pressure
- Event Coordination
- Organisational Skills
References
- Peter White, Stunt Coordinator / Horse Master, 44 7774754096, peterwhitiewhite@aol.com, Worked with on The Last Samurai, King Arthur, 10,000 BC, War Horse, The Hobbit & Hercules.
- Dan Hennah, Production Designer, 021 230 7375, dan@scull.co.nz, Worked with on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Warrior's Way, Kingdom Come & The Hobbit.
Qualifications
English, Maths, Geography, Economic Studies, English, Maths, Geography, Science, Agriculture, Horticulture, Class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, P
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Director
Lawn Rite Franklin
11.2021 - Current
Head Animal Wrangler
Desert Warrior
11.2020 - 02.2021
Operations Team Leader
Waiheke Bus Company
03.2017 - 06.2020
Director
Waiheke Horse Tours
10.2014 - 02.2017
Horse Coordinator
Hercules - The Thracian Wars
05.2013 - 10.2013
Head Animal Wrangler / Horse Master
The Hobbit
09.2010 - 08.2012
Horse Coordinator
War Horse
04.2010 - 09.2010
Horse Coordinator
Clash Of The Titans
05.2009 - 09.2009
Horse Master
The Warriors Way
09.2007 - 02.2008
Horse Coordinator / Stunts
10,000 BC
04.2006 - 09.2006
Director
FarOut Events Ltd
03.2005 - 05.2010
Field Logistician
Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
06.2004 - 12.2004
Stunts
King Arthur
07.2003 - 11.2003
Horse Coordinator
The Last Samurai
08.2002 - 06.2003
Horse Coordinator / HOD
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
06.2001 - 07.2002
Horse Coordinator / HOD
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
07.2000 - 07.2001
Horse Coordinator
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
06.1999 - 06.2000
Event Organiser
Hamilton City Council
01.1999 - 01.2000
Director
FarOut Shower Hire Ltd
01.1997 - 04.2004
Director
FarOut Events Ltd
10.1995 - 07.2001
National Sales Manager
Frenzi Action Wear
01.1991 - 10.1995
Contract Fencer
Betta Fencing Company
08.1989 - 10.1990
Infantryman
Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment
06.1985 - 04.1989
University Entrance - English, Maths, Geography, Economic Studies
School Certificate - English, Maths, Geography, Science, Agriculture, Horticulture
Drivers Licence - Class 1,2,3,4,5,6,P
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