Hamilton War Horse Statue of National Significance Gets Go-Ahead

Waikato Equestrians’ plan for a “Big, Awesome, Bronze War Horse” to acknowledge the 10,000 kiwi horses sent to foreign battlefields during the First World War has the go-ahead.

Former Defence Force artist, Matt Gauldie has been commissioned to craft the $220,000, 300kg life-size, bronze statue. It will be installed in Hamilton’s Memorial Park with a special public unveiling event in late 2017.

Equestrians’ project chair Noeline Jeffries says there has been widespread community support for Gauldie’s “awesome” rider-less horse (his description), and funds have come from Lotteries WW1, local philanthropists, and “horse lovers dropping notes and coins into collection buckets at horse events”.

Mrs Jeffries picked up the challenge from a national Riding Clubs’ newsletter article written by Rodney Marton of Masterton late in 2012. He gave the first $5000, and now says he’s convinced the ‘twin’ WW1 statues – the War Horse and Sapper Moore-Jones in the CBD – are of national significance and will be a tourist drawcard for Hamilton and Waikato.

TOTI Trust is managing the project and trust chair Dr Bill McArthur says the high profile Memorial Park site near the city’s Cenotaph and the river pathway will invite people to ponder the importance of horses in human history – not just in war. “It will be child friendly and a great spot for a selfie, appropriate in the Equine Centre of the nation.”

The unveiling of the United Kingdom’s first war horse memorial last year by champion equestrian Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, boosted enthusiasm and support across New Zealand for the Hamilton project.

Hamilton City Council’s Public Art Subcommittee signed off the proposal last Friday (29 July).

TOTI is a charitable trust bringing together art, culture and the environment with emphasis on collaboration, community engagement, education, and multi-media frameworks.
www.toti.co.nz

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