“We are coming to visit our chopper,” Wilson said.
Flemington School, Pōrangahau Playcentre, the Dannevirke Hunt and the Paul Hunter Centre, a disability service provider, the chosen charity of Property Brokers, would each also receive $6600.
“I think it is amazing – us horse people aren’t so bad after all.”
The donation is $3300 more than the 2024 total of $50,000, which secured their Winter Olympics unicorn logo on the chopper for three years.
“We were looking like we were struggling to reach last year’s target, and then we had a couple of amazing auction items come in at the last minute ... that well and truly blew the record.”
She said it was hard to put a price on doing great things in the community, and together they wanted to help enable future missions and contribute to the new rescue helicopter.
“Our $53,300 is going to enable that chopper to go out a few times,” Wilson said.
HBRH chief executive Andy Quayle said this year the Winter Olympics event was acknowledged with its logo added to the front of the hangar – which previously only featured sponsors PanPac and Unison – to cement the strong bond between the two groups.
“They are the only interest group we have got on the front of the hangar as a signboard.
“Our hangar is the heart of our operation. The helicopter provides the service, but the hangar houses the crew, and has everything in it, and it’s the hub of where everything is co-ordinated from.”
He said that to “adorn the exterior” with the Winter Olympics logo meant a lot to them all.
“It’s incredibly powerful, I’ve said to Claire their group would be one of the top fundraising groups in Hawke’s Bay, and I don’t say that lightly.”
Quayle said any donation, big or small, was appreciated and helped the service remain in all-hours operation across Hawke’s Bay.
He said they were in the process of pulling together the various components needed to equip a new helicopter, which is due for delivery in September 2026.
“That includes having a good, hard look at our current hangar facility to make sure it can accommodate the helicopter and all the equipment it will need alongside it.”
The new aircraft comes with enhanced patient and crew comfort features, longer mission range through greater fuel capacity and an increased weight limit, enabling transport of multiple patients and whānau.
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
