Irongate School gets an eye-opening experience at Land Rover Horse of the Year

Horse of the Year (Hawke's Bay) Chairman Tim Aitken gives students from Irongate School a tour around the event. Photo / Leigh Phelan

Students from Flaxmere's Irongate School got the opportunity to get up close and personal with horses at Hawke's Bay's biggest equestrian event, the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show on Friday.

A class of ten 7-8 year olds accompanied by teachers Elana Hales and Joy Jacobs were given a personalised tour of the show by Horse of the Year (Hawke's Bay) Chairman Tim Aitken, which included a close encounter with an animal many of them had never touched or seen first-hand before.

For the bright-eyed bunch it was a brand new experience attending the event and Learning Coach Joy Jacobs says the expressions on their faces said it all.

"They're amazed, the joy on their faces when the horse came thundering past in the ring had them almost spellbound. They don't know where to look next - they're not normally this quiet."

Teacher Elana Hales has taught at Irongate School for the past 15 years and says she has never brought a group of students to the show before.

There were dark clouds overhead at the day's events at Showgrounds Hawke's Bay Tomoana. Photo / Paul Taylor

"To come here and see what it's all about, you can't assume it's designed just for the affluent," she said.

"Having the opportunity to bring the kids along for free has exposed them to something they otherwise would never have had, which warms my heart."

For Aitken the visit was a welcome distraction from a hectic week.

People managed to find a gap in the drizzle conditions to get a bit of lunch. Photo / Paul Taylor

"Half of these kids have never touched a horse in their life.

"This is Hastings and we need to get the whole community involved and engaged," he said.

"You never know, one of these children might be the next Olympic rider."

In his fifth term as Hastings Ambassador, Henare O'Keefe is a regular at Land Rover Horse of the Year and feels the benefits of the event.

Despite the rain big crowds still turned out to the day's events. Photo / Paul Taylor

"These kids have little but at the same time they have a lot and if we bring the community together like this through mutual understanding, empathy and respect we can move forward together.

"These kids today, they thought all their Christmases had come at once."

The kids seemed to enjoy themselves throughout the day even though the weather took a turn with dark overcast skies and a bit of rain putting a little dampener on the event.

But that didn't last long though as later that night saw the Hastings Heart of Hawke's Bay Friday Night Fiesta take place which is an exciting evening of entertainment, featuring a variety of acts both equestrian and local.

The event also played part to a special tribute ceremony for equestrian legend and former Olympian Blyth Tait who announced his retirement from the sport earlier in the week.