New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust are on-course assisting our equine athletes in their time of need, so the industry is preparing to give back during their “Here For The Horse” campaign from August 1.
Established in 2016, the NZHAT was initially the brainchild of equine veterinarians Dr. Peter Gillespie and Dr. Bill Bishop over five years prior, who sought out a solution to how injuries on race day could be handled in a dignified, safe and effective manner.
Through the assistance and support of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, Harness Racing New Zealand and the Racing Integrity Board, the project came to life and the first ambulance was debuted during New Zealand Cup Week at Riccarton Park in November of 2018.
A racing enthusiast and owner, Jo Starr is a key figure in the running of this important operation and among the key figures behind their upcoming campaign.
“The horse ambulance was set up as a charitable trust and through the help of several generous sponsors including the likes of Cambridge Stud and Valachi Downs, we were able to commence the building process of our fleet,” Starr said.
“I got involved as a volunteer around the time of Cup Week in 2018. Being a long-time racing enthusiast and a lover of thoroughbreds, it made me realise I wanted to be involved in helping improve outcomes when these incidents happen.
“I was a volunteer for two years whilst working full-time, and the trust just got bigger and bigger through social media, marketing and getting positive stories out there.
“We got to the stage where we had seven or eight ambulances around the country and were operating as a service like St John, so I came on part-time to run the operations in terms of driver training, organisation and health-and-safety alongside the fundraising.
“It has expanded hugely over the past couple of years, we attend every race meeting, trials and harness races, as well as attending quite a number of equestrian events so the demand continues to grow. We are having to scale-up further with increased racedays next season as well.
“We have a tenth horse ambulance being deployed in Otago in six weeks’ time, which will mean that we can cover the whole country, having four in the South Island and six in the North Island.
“I give huge kudos to NZTR and HRNZ for funding the basic costs so we can provide this service across all race meetings. New Zealand racing is front-footing animal welfare and social license, they are very proactive in making progress and this is tangible proof of that.”
As a charity, the Trust has fundraised more than $1.5 million to build the custom horse ambulances, with design features that ensure the horse is treated with the utmost care and comfort.
“The design is all evidence-based and developed by equine vets, so we have unique features such as a padded crush to support the horse, and hydraulics that can drop the ambulance to the ground, so we are always aiming to look out for the horse’s welfare,” Starr said.
“We work very closely with the stewards and the raceday vet, because we are all part of the response.
“We have also, for example, transported Per Incanto from the equine hospital to Cambridge Stud to convalesce when he was injured, so the service extends beyond raceday.
“Our main mission is to get horses safely from the location to the equine hospital or vet clinic so the outcome is more likely to be positive.”
The new season will also mark the commencement of the “Here For The Horse” campaign, whereby the Trust has challenged all clubs with a race meeting between August 1st and 10th to engage supporters and raise funds for this essential service.
Canterbury Jockey Club have already made their mark, putting a tender on the $100,000 Synthetic Innovation Race sponsorship, with funds going directly to the Trust, while Auckland Trotting Club has also asked stakeholders for donations during three “Friday Night Lights” meetings, and at two Tuesday meetings at Cambridge Harness.
“We wanted to kick off the fundraising appeal on the horse’s birthday, and hoped to get as many stakeholders involved in the racing industry as we could,” Starr said.
“During the campaign period there are a couple of race meetings where the NZHAT silks will be used, these are Awapuni on the 9th and Te Rapa on the 10th.
“We have asked some of the trainers to carry the silks with their best chance of the day at Te Rapa and donate $500 if their horse wins. Many have agreed whether they win or not, while Waikato Stud have generously offered to dollar-match this.
“A lot of trainers have been very generous as often when their horses need assistance, they are the ones handling the aftermath, so they are very appreciative of this service.
“Part of this campaign is raising awareness around what we do, and letting people know that we are a charity. Though we do get the bulk of our funding from the 1% welfare levy on stakes, we need to fundraise to cover depreciation and continue into the future.
“For me it’s not like a job as I love the sport and we’re all here for the horses, which is what this campaign is all about.”
Online platform gavelhouse.com will also be staging a fabulous selection of ‘unique experiences’ for auction with donations going to NZHAT, including a “taste’ of Cambridge Stud and Wairarapa’s Little Avondale Stud.
In addition to the experiences on offer, LOVERACING.NZ is providing racing fans with an incredible opportunity to own two wonderful pieces of racing memorabilia while supporting the Trust’s winter appeal. Up for auction are two framed pairs of jockey breeches, signed by the legendary Glen Boss and Damien Oliver, following their exhibition gallop aboard Mufhasa and Bostonian at TAB Karaka Millions at Ellerslie. These will make a truly cherished collector’s item for any racing enthusiast, with all proceeds going to NZHAT.
Check out the listings at gavelhouse.com:
If you can, please support the New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust’s winter appeal to raise funds and awareness for their vital mahi. You can do so by clicking here to donate to NZHAT’s winter appeal.
