Central Hawke’s Bay Winter Olympics: Horse riding event aiming to buy Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter a vehicle

Event organiser Claire Wilson said she was hoping to get enough funds raised to buy a rapid response vehicle for the Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter this year.

Central Hawke’s Bay Winter Olympics organiser Claire Wilson wants to buy the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter a rapid response vehicle.

Her annual grassroots fundraising event is on Monday, April 27.

So far, 200 riders have entered.

Wilson said she had been busy behind the scenes with her team of helpers, prepping.

“Previously, we have done enough to put stickers on the helicopter, and that‘s great, but we needed a new goal for this year.

“The team at the rescue helicopter said,‘ How about this?’ and we have jumped at the challenge.”

Wilson and her husband Simon Wilson have hosted the horse-riding event on their Mt Herbert Farm near Waipukurau for over a decade.

“All I want to do is beat last year, and I have been doing that for 17 years.”

She said the Winter Olympics included show jumping, hunter jumping, cowboy challenges, and hobby horse events, as well as kindy rings for beginners.

The event last year attracted 170 horse riders. Photo / Michaela Gower

“Every other horse event has had dwindling numbers, and I’m just so excited we have weathered the storm.”

She said there was a special entry from retired racehorse The Cossack.

“His racing days are over, and he is starting a jumping career, and to make his debut at the Winter Olympics is very special.”

Wilson said on her social media that the bay gelding trained by Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal in Hastings won 19 races, including 11 prestigious jump events.

She said her fundraising method included auctioning items on social media in the lead-up, and a second-hand store of “horsey items” on the day.

This year, Wilson said there were 125 items to bid on, ranging from goods and services to experiences, and even horse semen.

She said she was amazed by the local and national support.

“I know it was my crazy idea, but actually, there is a whole lot of people who make it happen, so huge kudos to them.”

This year, a third of the money raised would be split between Flemington School, CHB Pony Club, Dannevirke Hunt, and Connect Youth and Community.

“There is a huge team of helpers that have got on board.”

Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust chief executive Andy Quayle said a new rapid response vehicle was needed to replace the small Mazda the trust currently uses as a “mini ambulance”.

The vehicle the Winter Olympics fundraising team was pursuing was a Ford Escape, valued at $60,000, he said.

“They are a hybrid, more spacious and versatile vehicle and used by several other rescue helicopter base crews.”

He said the car they had was too small to carry the required emergency response medical equipment.

Critical care flight paramedic Jack Faxon jnr said the vehicle was “essentially a mobile critical care unit” and enabled them to support ambulance crews or have vital transport when the helicopter was down.

“We go to a real mix of jobs, medical and trauma, mostly around Hawke’s Bay, but we’ll travel further if we need to.

“What the Winter Olympics crew are doing to help fund this is huge. It directly improves what we can do for patients out there, and we’re incredibly grateful for the effort that’s gone into it.”

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.