The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Northland equestrian identities, Neville and Gai Edge, win national volunteer award

Adam Pearse
By Adam Pearse
Deputy Political Editor·Northern Advocate·
30 Apr, 2020 06:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Northland's Gai (left) and Neville Edge, both 78, are the Equestrian Sports New Zealand volunteers of the month. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northland's Gai (left) and Neville Edge, both 78, are the Equestrian Sports New Zealand volunteers of the month. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northland equestrian officials Neville and Gai Edge have won a national volunteer award from the sport's national body.

The pair were named April's Equestrian Sports New Zealand volunteers of the month, in recognition of more than 40 years of service.

"We were just blown away. It was like possum in the headlights, we were totally shocked," Gai said.

"I've seen people get these things before, we've even nominated people before but when it happens to you, it certainly brightened up our [Covid-19] exile we were in."

Neville said, "I was quite surprised. You don't sort of think about those things do you?"

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Gai Edge (right) has seen many of Northland's top riders emerge on the national stage. Photo / Supplied
Gai Edge (right) has seen many of Northland's top riders emerge on the national stage. Photo / Supplied

Neville and Gai, both 78, had a passion for horse riding on their 800-acre Whananaki South farm alongside their three children, who became involved in the Tutukaka Pony Club.

"The kids had horses and they used to ride around the farm and it was just part of country life," Gai said.

"I think the first [pony club] meeting I went to, I ended up as treasurer.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Then the kids grew up and finished with their riding and we became officials in the eventing and showjumping world and that's what we are still doing."

More than 40 years on, Neville and Gai have worked on behalf of many regional and national equestrian organisations, committees and clubs - taking them all over the country and sometimes across the globe.

Among others, Neville has held the roles of cross country course designer, showjumping course designer and eventing chief judge. Primarily, Neville now acted as a technical delegate for several large equestrian events, charged with ensuring all facets of a competition ran smoothly.

A former cross country and showjumping course designer, Neville Edge puts his wealth of equestrian knowledge to good use as a technical delegate. Photo / Supplied
A former cross country and showjumping course designer, Neville Edge puts his wealth of equestrian knowledge to good use as a technical delegate. Photo / Supplied

Similarly, Gai had maintained many roles, including her current role of area delegate for Northland Showjumping, and as a regular steward and judge at major competitions.

Discover more

What level 3 means for you: Fishing, surfing, hunting on menu

26 Apr 10:30 PM

Although she said the Covid-19 pandemic made it difficult to plan, Gai hoped to continue her service in equestrian sports because of her love of helping people.

"Honestly, I think it's the people you meet and the help that you can give them, sorting out problems they might have and the appreciation you get from the riders.

"We've had a terrific team of people we've worked with over the years and that's what makes any sport event. If you get people in the right places, you'll have a good event."

Neville, a co-designer of Whangārei's Barge Park original track in 1993, said he enjoyed seeing the success of a range of people who had a passion for horses.

"You meet a lot of different people - you get truck drivers, merchant bankers, fishermen, all sorts and it's an interest to see the horses and riders coming through and going up in their grades."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Rural community 'in shock' as industrial park greenlit

Premium
The Country

More than half of Crown Regional Holdings' loan book flagged as 'at risk'

The Country

Campylobacter hospitalisations up 70% as contaminated chicken blamed


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Rural community 'in shock' as industrial park greenlit
The Country

Rural community 'in shock' as industrial park greenlit

It will add up to 125 vehicle movements an hour on local roads.

16 Jul 09:04 PM
Premium
Premium
More than half of Crown Regional Holdings' loan book flagged as 'at risk'
The Country

More than half of Crown Regional Holdings' loan book flagged as 'at risk'

16 Jul 08:54 PM
Campylobacter hospitalisations up 70% as contaminated chicken blamed
The Country

Campylobacter hospitalisations up 70% as contaminated chicken blamed

16 Jul 08:13 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP