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Blomfield, Meynell Strathmore (1908 - 1971) Wrestler, Publican & Philanthropist. Meynell Strathmore Blomfield, better known by his nickname 'Lofty', was born at Wellington, New Zealand on 18 July 1908, the son of John Collis Blomfield, a newspaper cartoonist, and his wife, Amy Ellis. The family moved to Takapuna, Auckland, reputedly travelling on the first steam train to make the journey. As a young man he did track work for horse trainers. Blomfield played senior rugby in Auckland, Gisborne, Murchison and Nelson.

Weighing 16 stone (101.5kg) and 6' 2" tall (2.0 metres) tall, he began wrestling as an amateur in 1930, becoming New Zealand's first Amateur Heavyweight Wrestling Champion in 1931 and then turned professional. He went to Australia, fighting under the name Walter Browning and claiming to be Canadian.

Returning to New Zealand in 1934, Blomfield began wrestling under the name Lofty Blomfield and toured the United States. Returning home in 1935 after he had had 48 matches, winning 42 of them and drawing a match with Earl McCready for the British Empire Heavyweight title. In 1936 Blomfield invented his famous trademark submission hold "The Octopus Clamp"

On March 17, 1938 in Vancouver, Canada, Lofty Blomfield became the first New Zealander to challenge for the NWA World Title when he wrestled World Champion Bronko Nagurski to a time limit draw, having had the Octopus Clamp applied in the closing moments of the match as time ran out.

In October 1938 he became the Undisputed NZ Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and won the Australasian Wrestling Championship.

In 1940 he won the British Empire Championship, beating John Katan of Canada in Wellington.

During World War 2, Blomfield served in the New Zealand Army, serving in New Zealand and the Middle East, reaching the rank of Sergeant Major. After his discharge he resumed his wrestling career before retiring in 1949, having wrestled five world champions during his career and with a New Zealand record of: 490 bouts, 272 wins, 105 losses and 113 draws.

It is estimated that he wrestled a total of 1200 matches between 1939 - 1949 in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Mexico, Canada and the United States. When Blomfield retired from wrestling he took over the publican's license of the Whangarei Hotel in Whangarei, Northland and was involved in many charities. He was the founder of the Northland IHC and the Blomfield Special School for IHC children in Whangarei.

Lofty Blomfield is the only professional wrestler ever to be inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame and will always be remembered as one of the greatest and most popular sportsmen New Zealand has ever produced.

Ingram, W. F. Legends In Their Lifetimes. Wellington, 1962

McMillan, N. A. C. New Zealand Sporting Legends. Auckland, 1993

Taylor, M. High Flying Kiwis. Auckland, 1988