March 13th 2014
Parade celebrates the Chinese Year of the Horse
22 Chinese national riders will be honoured when the Horse of the Year Parade winds its way through central Hastings
streets on Thursday 20th March.
Hastings Deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers says “It’s fitting that, in the Chinese Year of the Horse we acknowledge and
welcome the team of Chinese riders and their supporters who are in in Hastings for the NRM Horse of the Year.”
Cynthia Bowers says “The NRM Horse of the Year at the Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds is six days of fantastic equestrian action
and has become an iconic event for Hastings. It is important that the excitement that surrounds the Horse of the Year is
able to be enjoyed by people from the wider community, and the street parade is a great way of allowing everyone to
enjoy the sights and sounds of the show.”
“The CBD was crammed with people wanting to get a glimpse of last year’s parade and we are expecting an even larger
crowd this year. Many Hastings schools took the opportunity to bring their students to the parade, and this year
students from Kimi Ora school in Flaxmere are being bussed in by NRM Horse of the Year, especially for the parade.”
The parade will feature representatives from many different equestrian disciplines, including horses and riders from
local pony clubs, the western riders and the magnificent 900kg clydesdales. Double Olympic gold medallist, Sir Mark Todd
will again take part in the parade and it is hoped that world showjumping, champion Philippe Le Jeune from Belgium will
also make an appearance, depending on his competition schedule at the show.
The parade will begin at 11.30am from Lyndon Road East and make its way through city streets to finish at the
performance platform in the city mall.
The parade is being organised by Hastings District Council with support from the Hastings City Business Association and
Event Pro.
More information on the Horse of the Year Parade is available at visithastingsdistrict.co.nz
ENDS