Book  (Jun 1986)  Page(s) 427.  
 
Olympiad Hybrid Tea. McGredy 1984. Description... particularly velvety petals...

Book  (Jun 1986)  Page(s) 237.  Includes photo(s).
 
Olympiad Hybrid Tea. Description.

Book  (1986)  Page(s) 21.  Includes photo(s).
 
Sam McGredy: I normally shy away from the obvious cross. 'Red Planet' was the best red rose of its day. 'Pharaoh' was the brightest scarlet imaginable, sans fragrance and with a somewhat unhealthy constitution. It was an obvious marriage to make. I would have assumed that Pat Dickson and Alain Meilland, as the raisers of 'Red Planet' and' Pharaoh', would have made it many times before me. However, I made a few crosses - just in case. Only two seedlings looked good enough for further testing. It was my first year in New Zealand, and I was using local places for nicknames. The two reds were known as Auckland and North Shore. The former, shortened to the code MACAUCK, looked promising enough to send for testing in California. Jack Christensen was ecstatic. I couldn't figure out why. With me the rose was pretty, but not THAT good. Anyway, it was duly entered for the All-American trials and was a runaway winner. Now I was ecstatic. It's every rose breeder's dream to raise a good red rose. Here I had the first red All-American winner in eighteen years. I had great plans to name it after a famous singer with a launching party in Palm Springs. Along came Bob de Mayo, head of Armstrong Nurseries at the time, and I had assigned the naming and marketing rights to them. Los Angeles was in the throes of its Olympic Games preparations and Bob got right in there. He ended up with 'Olympiad', the first and only official rose of the Olympic games. The rest is history. It was and is an instant success in the United States. I think it is an easy rose to grow to near-perfection, and that is why it is popular. It also features highly in amateur flower shows as it is an excellent exhibition bloom. Like many All-Americans, it doesn't do so well away from the heat. As a result, it is virtually unknown in Europe, does moderately well in New Zealand and loves Australia. Worldwide, 'Precious Platinum' is a much better rose.

Illustration. 'Olympiad' HT. Raised by Sam McGredy, New Zealand. Bred from 'Red Planet' x 'Pharaoh'. Everybody loves a winner.

Book  (1986)  Page(s) 110.  
 
Don Sheppard. Review of Newer Roses in 1985-86 Season.
'Olympiad'. McGredy 1984. ('Red Planet' x 'Pharoah'). Rich red. 20 reports. 32 bushes. 2-3 years. 1.5m. 7.4 rating. Reports from Northland to Oamaru, and this non-fading red rose is highly regarded, except by Carterton who points it at 5.3 because of poor repeat and growth. All others recommend it highly as an excellent garden rose. The term "garden rose" is meant to imply that it is a good, honest, healthy rose and not one that requires loads of attention, for exhibition purposes. 'Olympiad' is recommended, even though one or two find it rather slow to establish.

Book  (1985)  Includes photo(s).
 
p9. 'Olympiad' which became the official rose of the 1984 Olympics.

p15. Photo. 'Olympiad' Macauck.

p38. Don Sheppard. Review of Newer Roses for 1984-85 Season.
'Olympiad' McGredy 1984 ('Red Planet' x 'Pharoah') Medium red. 8 reports. 9 bushes, I year, 1 metre in height, 7.5 rating. A new release, with a good name from U.S.A. Let's see how it is faring here. Palmerston North report: Brilliant non-fading red, medium size, should be a good vase and garden rose. Hastings says quick repeat, healthy and growing well. Timaru says that though the bloom is small, the form is good, holding well and lasting well, very healthy. Golden Bay say the bloom stands the weather well, there is no perfume. Southern Hawkes Bay and Gisborne speak of well shaped blooms, can blue at times a little, good repeat, a good bush. The West Coast report poor repeat, balls in the wet, useless here. So in most parts of New Zealand' 'Olympiad' should do very well for you.

p58. Nola Simpson. Rose Selection 1985. 'Olympiad' (Macauk). HT. Destined to become very well known due to its release for the 1984 Olympic Games. Blooms are of medium size and a bright clear red, non-fading and well formed. The bushes are upright to bushy in growth and very healthy.

Book  (1984)  Page(s) 204.  
 
John Mattock Ltd. advertisement.
And in this great Olympic year, we shall be featuring Sam's 'Olympiad' (Macauck), a crimson-scarlet HT.

Book  (1983)  Page(s) 157.  
 
Egmont Roses advertisement. Presenting all the latest new roses for 1984.
'Olympiad'. HT. Clear and bright scarlet of wonderful form. On a superb plant. All America winner. McGredy, 1983.

Book  (1982)  Page(s) 41.  
 
E. F. Allen. Awards to Rose Seedlings in Great Britain in 1981. Trial Ground Certificate.
MACauk. (parentage not revealed), a tall growing red HT, by McGredy, with lovely large flowers which are moderately scented. Growing to 4 ft it will need plenty of space. My own marks have been consistently high. it might well be a great success in your country.

Book  (1982)  Includes photo(s).
 
p80. [photo caption] The bright scarlet HT is 'Macauk' from Sam McGredy Roses International; it won a Trial Ground Certificate in 1981.

p142 Trial Ground Awards, 1981.
MACauk. Large Flowered (HT). Sam McGredy Roses International, New Zealand. Distributor John Mattock Ltd., Oxford. Trial Ground No. 3991. Bloom bright scarlet, full, 34 petals, borne singly and several together. Growth very vigorous and bushy, 4ft. Foliage semi-glossy, medium green, very vigorous and bushy, 4ft. Foliage semi-glossy, medium green.