Richard Peterson

Richard Dale Peterson (14 January 1940 – 12 January 2018) was a New Zealand fencer and lawyer. He represented his country at the 1966 and 1970 British Commonwealth Games, and won 12 New Zealand national fencing titles across three disciplines. A commercial lawyer in Wellington, Peterson and his wife Hilary established clubs to support sufferers of dementia. Early life and family Born in Wellington on 14 January 1940, Peterson was the son of Basil and Ruth Peterson. His father worked for Wellington City Council and finished his career as the city's town clerk. Richard Peterson was educated at Khandallah School, Scots College, and then Nelson College as a boarder from 1953 to 1957. An accomplished musician, he was the school pianist at Nelson College. Peterson went on to study law at Victoria University of Wellington, completing a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1961 and a Master of Laws by examination in 1963. Peterson first met his wife, Hilary Taylor, while travelling to Britain by ship in 1963. They eventually married and had three children. Fencing Peterson joined the Victoria University Swords Club in 1958. Over a period of 26 years, he won 12 New Zealand national fencing titles. The first was in 1965, when he won the men's épée title, the only time he would win the national championship in that discipline. He won the national men's foil championship in 1970, 1973 and 1975, but it was in the sabre that he was most successful, winning the national title on eight occasions between 1972 and 1991. At the national championships in 1973, Peterson was awarded the title of Master of Arms.