Gisborne’s Miggles Shanks swapped horses for chasing birdies after a hoof to the head

A hoof to the head ended Miggles Shanks’ horse-riding career but opened the door to a new passion, golf.

When Margot “Miggles” Shanks" was injured on her family’s former farm at Waingake, she didn’t alert a rescue helicopter or, indeed, seek any immediate medical help.

Perhaps she should have.

While bandaging her horse’s injured leg, Shanks suffered a round kick to the head, but while it took her a couple of minutes to get up, she decided to continue getting her daughter’s mount on a truck to take them to a riding lesson.

“I was lucky my husband (Rick) and children were with me at the time, but you tend to not think anything of it and just get on with things,” she said.

“But as the days went by, this terrible headache – like a freight train through the head – got worse and I couldn’t read, couldn’t watch television... couldn’t do anything.

She ended up getting an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan, which revealed “a lake of fluid in my temple, so I just had to take it easy and let time work its magic”.

That was 25 years ago and an ongoing consequence was that due to the elevated risks involved should she suffer another head injury, she was advised to never again ride a horse.

That was devastating but she made the best of it by taking up what has become another passion - golf.

“I started playing at Awapuni Links using a set of borrowed clubs and with the support of an older friend. I just thought ‘if she can hit the ball like that, then so can I’, and I’ve loved playing ever since.”

She has enjoyed success with it, including a couple of intermediate women’s club championship crowns.

Next month, Shanks will be among a full field for the annual Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust (EHRT) Golf Tournament - the 19th time she will have played in it.

This year, however, she will be able to focus on pure enjoyment of the game as she recently stood down from a 10-year tenure as president of the host Poverty Bay Golf Club.

Shanks will be in with a good shot at the prizes. She plays twice a week and her regular EHRT tournament ensemble, MVP, have emerged the top women’s team for the last two years.

MVP will this year be sporting Surfing For Farmers T-shirts to double-down on their day out golfing for good.

But it’s lucky they got their entry in early. Registrations for the 36 team spots opened last month and were filled in just a few days, although EHRT events manager Sara McNaught says there may be a short wait-list.

With a new naming sponsor, the Craigs Investment Partners EHRT Charity Golf Tournament is being held at the Awapuni Links on Friday, March 21.

It is one of two major fundraising events that help EHRT hit its $700,000 annual target to support the life-saving work of the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter.

Between raffles run on the course, the sale of EHRT’s famous steak sandwiches, a post-play auction and green fees donated by Poverty Bay Golf Club, EHRT last year raised $15,400 to help meet its fundraising obligations.

Hopes are high for an even better result this year, with the sponsorship covering a good chunk of the running costs.

Meanwhile, Shanks says that while winning is always nice, the EHRT tournament is seen less as a competitive event and more as a fun day out on the fairways while raising funds for a great cause.

“You often do have to work hard to raise money for such critical services but it’s all worth it,” she says.

“When you need services like the rescue helicopter, the team are right there for you, so now it is our turn to be there for them.”

Story supplied by Eastland Rescue Helicopter Trust.