For many of the crowd gathered on Whangamata's beachfront for the Anzac Dawn Parade, the handing over of the New Zealand and Australian flags to school students was an emotional moment.
Two horse riders, with a third horse carrying the shoes of the Unknown Soldier, received the flags as they came ashore on the Coastguard rescue boat, accompanied by two Whangamata Surf Club IRBs and crews.
As the dawn broke behind about 500 onlookers, the flags were handed from the horses to Whanagamata Area School head boy Reuben Fleetwood and head girl Gabrielle Pitcher.
RSA Padre Terri Sorenson officiated the service while Warrant Officer Joseph Gray spoke.
