August 25, Auckland - The past President of CIOPORA Sam McGredy IV passed away at the age of 87 at his home in Auckland, New Zealand.
Born in 1932 in Portadown, Northern Ireland, at the age of two Sam became heir to the family rose nursery founded by his great-grandfather in 1880. Later on, he and his family eventually moved to New Zealand in 1972, where they set up a new nursery and continued the four-generation tradition of growing and breeding roses. At its peak, under Sam's management, the nursery grew one million plants on 120 ha and had 160 staff members. His most successful varieties include, ‘Dublin Bay’, ‘Bantry Bay’, ‘Sexy Rexy’ and ‘My Girl’.
Sam McGredy also pioneered the area of Plant Variety Protection, first campaigning for the passage of a Plant Breeders' Rights Act in the UK (1964) and, later, in New Zealand (1973). Sam's first registered varieties were the climbing rose 'Handel' (UK) and a floribunda 'Matangi' (NZ).
From 1964 to 1969, Sam served as President of CIOPORA and, in 2011, at the association's 50th anniversary in Rome, Italy, he was awarded a CIOPORA Silver Pin to commemorate his merits.
Sam is survived by his wife, Jillian, his children and grandchildren.