Odin Phillips is one of the crew members who have been setting up for Horse of the Year. Photo / Paul Taylor
After extensive set-up, the Land Rover Horse of the Year will open on Tuesday at the Hawke's Bay A&P showgrounds.
Every year about 55,000 people from Hawke's Bay and beyond flock to the six-day event.
Behind the scenes, a fulltime events team set-up the event.
Setting up the largest equestrian event in the Southern Hemisphere is a "logistically huge" two-week process, Operations Manager Trish Webb said.
About 50 mostly local people work on setting up the infrastructure.
Webb has spent the past six months working on the event logistics and comes down from Auckland for five weeks to manage operations.
The operations team require three forklifts, two tractors, 1 telehandler and 15 quad bikes, side-by-sides and golf carts for the event.
Hawke's Bay doesn't have all the gear needed so a lot of the equipment must be brought from elsewhere including Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton.
Webb said this wass one of the biggest operational challenges and timing was key.
The two-week construction involves setting up marquees, 800 portable yards for the horses, premier stables, Show Jumping Hawke's Bay's premier stables and portable yards, installing panels, and installing eight temporary power generators and more than 50 lifeguards.
The marquees are shipped to the region by four truck and trailer units and make up 2000 square metres of space with 1000 metres of panelling installed inside.
In just four days, 240 stables are put up, Webb said. The stables come piecemeal from a previous event in Cambridge, so the time for set-up is limited.
Three kiolmetresof fencing is installed . Portaloos, showers, and VIP toilets are also set up.
In addition to the horse events, there are over 200 retailers on site.
"We use every single piece of the landscape here. It's amazing how fast the guys get things up, how much it changes day by day."
Before her five years at Horse of the Year, Webb had worked on other events but describes this as "the biggest by far".
"I like the challenge of it. I love the logistics of it and the troubleshooting.
"I enjoy trying to solve problems and issues and come up with plans, and then it's great to see the outcome," she said.
About 1800 horses and 1500 riders compete across 15 disciplines in the event.
When the event finishes, 500 tonnes of manure is removed from the site and goes to BioRich.
The pack-down begins shortly after and takes one week.
Tickets are available to purchase at the Horse of the Year website http://hoy.kiwi/tickets-2/.
Hawke's Bay hosts Christmas lunches for those seeking company and support.