Horse of the Year: 100 new stables for comeback event in Hawke’s Bay

Horse of the Year chairman Tim Aitken working on some of the new stables being erected at the Showgrounds in Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland

After three cancelled shows, New Zealand’s biggest equestrian event, Horse of the Year, has received a boost ahead of its comeback in March.

One hundred new horse stables are being erected at Tōmoana Showgrounds in Hastings in time for the major event and the first went up last week.

Land Rover Horse of the Year was last held in 2020 at the showgrounds and has been cancelled three years running due to Covid restrictions (2021 and 2022) and Cyclone Gabrielle (2023).

Excitement is building for its return on March 5-10, which could see around 15,000 people through the gates and about 1400 horses participating.

Event manager Sophie Blake said the new stables were an important addition and met international standards.

“We have brought in 100 stables to ensure we can keep doing the international level of riding.”

The new stables will be mainly based around the equestrian area, with the option to move them around the showgrounds in future if necessary.

Traditionally, a large number of temporary stables would be hired each year, but that option was no longer available and organisers were granted a $460,000 loan from Hastings District Council in 2022 to purchase new stables.

They will not replace the old stables but rather be additions.

Blake said it had been a long wait to welcome back the event and it was “starting to feel quite surreal”.

“I think the biggest thing for us this year is to establish ourselves back into the equestrian calendar, create memories and deliver an event,” she said.

“That is what Horse of the Year is - it creates memories.

Horse of the Year Ltd chairman Tim Aitken next to the first of the new stables under construction. Photo / Warren Buckland

“This year is all about momentum, memories and celebration.”

Blake said Horse of the Year was the “pinnacle” of the equestrian season, and she thanked Hastings District Council and other stakeholders for their continued support.

“It has been an extreme effort to keep it going.”

One thing that will be missing this year will be the use of the grandstand that overlooks the main arena. It has been deemed unsafe to use and will begin to be demolished in April.

Blake said additional seating would be used, including smaller grandstands placed around the premier arena and a new raised hospitality area and ring-side seating.

She said the overall show brought a huge economic injection to the region and visitors had an average stay of four nights.

The MenzShed has been helping carry out maintenance on the existing stables “for which we are extremely grateful”.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.