Existing stables and facilities at the showgrounds. A further 100 new stables will be built at the site. Photo / Warren Buckland
Existing stables and facilities at the showgrounds. A further 100 new stables will be built at the site. Photo / Warren Buckland
The Hastings District Council has decided to approve a loan for 100 new horse stables to be built at Tōmoana Showgrounds Hawke's Bay.
Those stables will cost over $500,000 and be built alongside existing stables and facilities at the showgrounds, on the outskirts of Hastings, in time for the 2023Horse of the Year event in March.
HOTY is marketed as the country's biggest equestrian event and before Covid hit was worth millions of dollars to the local economy each year.
It has not been held since 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic.
Traditionally, a large number of temporary stables would be hired each year for the event, but organisers have reported that option is no longer available.
Horse of the Year Hawke's Bay Ltd (HOYHB) now wants to purchase and install 100 stables at the showgrounds at a cost of $564,000.
Horse of the Year is a massive event for Hawke's Bay. Photo / Supplied
A proposal also stated the current stables at the showgrounds were "unacceptable" for international and top-tier horses and new stables would be required.
The council met on Thursday and approved a loan of $460,000 to help cover the cost.
The investment will see 70 covered and 30 uncovered stables built.
"It is imperative for the successful operation of the Horse of the Year event that fit-for-purpose stabling is provided for the horses attending the event," council papers read.
"[HOYHB] propose to make the initial deposit payment of $100,000 and will require a loan from council ... of approximately $460,000 to be repaid over 10 years."
HOYHB event manager Sophie Blake told the council during the meeting on Thursday that an agreement was in place to host Horse of the Year at the showgrounds in Hastings for the next five years.
What the proposed new stables could look like. Photo / Supplied
She said they were also looking to lock it in for a further 20 years on top of that.
"It is absolutely vital for our event to get these [new stables]," she said.
Horse of the Year Hawke's Bay Ltd has three shareholders - Equestrian Sports New Zealand, Show Jumping Hawke's Bay and the council.
That entity will own the 100 new stables and pay back the loan with interest.
The council will soon take over ownership of the showgrounds after buying 40ha of the site for $7.5 million this year.
The present owners, the A&P Society, previously approached the council to gauge its interest in buying the land. The A&P Society will continue to own 2.7ha of the site.
The council will officially become the showgrounds landowner on April 1 next year.
Its move to buy the showgrounds was largely to do with protecting that green space, and it received widespread backing during community consultation.
