Colin and Toni McIntosh are wanting to enhance the profile of Taupo's National Equestrian Centre. Photo / Erin Gilmore
Colin and Toni McIntosh are wanting to enhance the profile of Taupo's National Equestrian Centre. Photo / Erin Gilmore
Toni and Colin McIntosh are a couple with a passion for all things equestrian. Now that they are back in New Zealand, based in Taupō, they are determined to enhance the National Equestrian Centre's profile.
Toni said when she and showjumping Olympian Colin first saw the centre two years ago, they were blown away.
"It's literally a world-class facility here in Taupō. It's our personal mission to enhance that and get people using it in the show-jumping world."
An Easter Jumping Festival is being held at the Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre on Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4, starting at 9am both days.
This event is a great outing both for equestrian enthusiasts and for those who have never been to an equestrian event.
It will feature top horses and riders, as well as talented future champions.
Toni encouraged people to go along with a picnic or to support the food vendors which will be onsite.
She said it was free entry, but tickets are available on Eventbrite for those wanting to enjoy the day from the VIP area or attend the cocktail Welcome Party on Saturday evening.
Saturday is the ranking day, during which riders will compete to decide the starting order for the 10K Finals on Sunday.
There will also be the Relay class where teams of two compete to finish with the fastest time, which Toni said was always a great crowd-pleaser.
Sunday's events will include a range of 10K Classics to be won.
"We've been blown away by the support from local council and businesses."
Toni said other plans they had for the National Equestrian Centre were to have some more horse accommodation in the works, hopefully built this winter.
The surfaces on the jumping arenas are also going to be made more to international standards, she said.
Toni said their move to the San Francisco Bay area in California, United States, was probably 17 or 18 years ago, and was the couple grabbing the opportunity to go there and start an equestrian training and competition business.
Colin and Toni McIntosh have enjoyed settling in to life in Taupo. Photo / Libby Law
"Riding internationally and having a thriving business - it was a fantastic number of years."
She said returning to New Zealand was really just down to the right timing.
"We were fortunate enough that someone wanted to buy our equestrian business, which is a difficult thing to do.
"We sold the business and they kept us on as consultants, so we continued to work and coach."
She said in 2019 they came back to New Zealand to spend Christmas and decided to spend a few months here. While doing so, they were asked to do some coaching.
The plan was to fly back last April but they weren't able to due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Toni said the time back here really helped the couple to make up their minds to permanently move back.
"The move was prompted earlier than we anticipated, but we have no regrets.
"We will go back to the United States when we can. We have clients up there who still want us to continue coaching."
Toni said before moving to the US, they were living in the Whakatane/Eastern Bay area, but her parents moved to Taupō and so every time they came home they would call into the town.
