Determined ride to Horse of Year success

When Kevin Hansen started organising the Horse of the Year Show in 1999 he never envisaged he would go from a saddlery shop owner to the director of his own event organisation.
Eventpro manages the show on behalf of Showjumping Hawke's Bay, which had charitable status.
"From 1953 to 1991 Horse of the Year travelled round the country at a different place every year," he said. "In 1992 Equestrian Sports New Zealand decided the show had too much money involved, they wanted corporate money, so they decided to hold it in Auckland from 1992-98.
"The only thing is nobody in Auckland actually stood up and said, 'I want to run that show', and it lost a lot of money.
"I'm not saying we haven't lost money but it lost a lot of money in Auckland and that money was going out of our sport for good. We saw that money going out of the sport forever and a few of us thought we could do a better job here in Hawke's Bay.
"I was the chairman of showjumping Hawke's Bay at the time. They turned us down at first but said 'it's your show in 1999, show us what you've got', and its never left here since - it won't leave here."
With increased scale came increased commitment.
"The show got bigger and bigger and it became full time in 2004. That's when I formed my company Eventpro. It's a good little business with a busy office, we've got five staff over there in Taradale."
The show relied on volunteers and sponsorship to make it work.
"I need $1.5 million of funding to make it pay," he said.
HireQuip project managed the bulk of material requirements at a cost of over $1 million.
"The show this year has a cost of $2.2 million. TV costs $100,000, feeding the 450 volunteers costs $20,000, rubbish cost 10,000, St John $17,000 - the costs go on and on."
This year he had a general manager to help with the organisation. John van Bohemen was a Hastings District Council economic development manager.
"I tuck in behind Kevin really, anything that's too hard, undone or needs doing quickly," Mr Van Bohemen said.
He sees the business side of the show as a huge benefit to the Hawke's Bay economy.
"This show's strength is its growth. Having joined as an outsider and talked to the sponsors, it's seen as a very strong platform for equestrian businesses and, increasingly, for non-equestrian businesses."
An estimated $10 million dollars would change hands in the 157 businesses represented. More would be taken by the 50 stands selling food and goods to the crowds.
"We've got a great team, we've got the sponsorship and the backing behind us, we've got the product - that really makes the show successful," Mr Hansen said.
"We have lost money in the past but we're right now, we've got the formula.
The loss of Kelt Capital as a naming sponsor was not a problem, he said.
"The costs are in, the budgets crossed off - we are on track to make good money."