Spinal charity champion honoured

Yesterday was a good day for CatWalk founder Catriona Williams.

Her horse Tie Me Down won race 3 at the Tauherenikau Races and she was able to tell her friends she had received a Queen's Birthday honour.

Mrs Williams has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

In 2005 she founded the CatWalk Trust, an organisation that raises money to find a cure for spinal injuries.

Three years earlier Mrs Williams, a champion equestrian, fell from her horse and became a tetraplegic.

This year she was one of three finalists in the New Zealander of Year Awards.

Last year she, along with Robert Creagh and Neil Cudby, arm-pedalled over 1000km from Tibet to Kathmandu, reaching 5000-metre heights.

She said she told her friends yesterday morning but word had already got around.

"I went for a bike ride this morning, and a couple of people stopped and said 'well done'.

"I'm a bit of a stand-out in my low bike."

Mrs Williams said a lot of the kudos for everything that had been achieved was due to having amazing people around her.

"These hands don't work very well, these legs don't work at all," she said. "We have great people in the office, our incredible patron, a wonderful bunch of family and friends, that step up when it works.

"We are incredibly lucky."

She said New Zealanders were very generous people with their time.

Mrs Williams said her husband Sam was wondering if he got letters after his name as well.

"He just realises how lucky he is, married to me."

A highlight in her work for the Catwalk Trust was the Himalayan adventure but now she has a new physical challenge on the go.

"My personal little challenge is to do the half marathon at New Plymouth on February 7.

"Fifty or 60 fellow CatWalkers are planning to do the same.

"I'm really really excited about that."