Selwyn Hawthorne stands in front of the Dolly the War Horse Trust display at the Hastings Library, raising awareness and support for the upcoming statue. Photo / Rafaella Melo
Selwyn Hawthorne stands in front of the Dolly the War Horse Trust display at the Hastings Library, raising awareness and support for the upcoming statue. Photo / Rafaella Melo
A life-sized bronze sculpture of Dolly, a warhorse from World War I, is now expected to be unveiled in 2027, marking the third delay for the Hastings statue originally slated for February 2024.
The Dolly the War Horse Trust has raised just $30,000 of the required $300,000, after setbacks including the impact of Covid and Cyclone Gabrielle.
For Selwyn Hawthorne, founding trustee of the Dolly the War Horse Trust, the monument will be a tribute to the more than 10,000 horses sent from New Zealand to serve in World War I.
“Any commemoration of service in any war is important,” Hawthorne says.
“The horses went over to the Middle East desert and the mud-soaked fields in Europe. Only four of them returned home after the war, with two coming to Hawke’s Bay, and Dolly was one of them,” he said.
The statue was planned to sit next to Major General Sir Andrew Russell’s monument in Civic Square, Hastings, as he rode Dolly during the war.
The statue is intended as a reminder of the extreme conditions such horses endured, living in desert conditions with limited food and water, and working through constant bombardments, mud and disease during the battles in Europe.
A preview of the life-sized bronze statue of Dolly, which will be placed in Civic Square, Hastings, beside the monument to Major General Sir Andrew Russell.
To further support the cause, Purple Poppy Day, an international date dedicated to remembering animals that served in warfare, was first commemorated in Hawke’s Bay on February 24 last year.
“It’s only celebrated in about five places throughout New Zealand: Hamilton, Rangiora, Bulls and now Hawke’s Bay,” Hawthorne says.
This year, while there won’t be a large event, the community is invited to visit the Dolly statue site in Civic Square, Hastings, on February 24, to pay their respects.
Ngahiwi Tomoana, chairman of Kahungunu, speaking at the Purple Poppy Day in Hastings last year. Photo / Warren Buckland
As part of the Purple Poppy Day celebration, a display has been set up at the Hastings Library to showcase the project and help raise funds for the cause.
The exhibition will run until March 9.
“The support we are getting from Hastings District Council has been amazing and we are determined to make this tribute a reality,” Hawthorne says.
The Dolly the War Horse Trust display at Hastings Library will run until March 9. Photo / Rafaella Melo
The trust is now working to secure funds from family and gambling trusts. Once it has raised 70% of the target, it will approach Lotto for the remaining funds.
In addition to the statue, any surplus funds will go to equine therapy programmes for disabled children.
Hawthorne says this initiative reflects the trust’s commitment to honouring the past while also supporting positive change in the community.
The delay in unveiling the statue has not dampened the trust’s spirits.
Hawthorne says the community has been encouraging and, for those who want to help, he invites them to visit the Hastings library and the Dolly the War Horse website.
“I want to gratefully thank everyone who has supported us so far. It may take longer than we anticipated, but we are determined to see this project through.”
