NZ Performance Horses Hit Hard by Weather

The weather may have decimated Hawke's Bay's Haupouri Station but the multi-million dollar New Zealand Performance Horses breeding operation will not be hindered.

It's been a heart-breaking few weeks for Juliet and Warwick Hansen as they've had to stand by and watch great chunks of their land just slip away as relentless rain fell from the sky.

The station had 800mls of rain over two day – twice what Cyclone Bola dumped on them. They flew over the property in a helicopter to better see what the weather had dealt to them.

“We've probably lost 50% of Haupouri Station,” says Mr Hansen. “That lovely long strip of green along the beach front that is so iconic at Haupouri will never be the same again – it has completely slipped away and will probably never be farmed again.”

This is land that has been in his wife's family for six generations now. When they moved to the farm 25 years ago they turned the 20 large paddocks into 110 – now most of the fences are gone, along with the 300-or-so hectares.

Colts and geldings worth hundreds of thousands of dollars are running riot out the back of the farm, locked in by the water, but still safe.

“We saw a Mr Blue colt standing on a 30-metre slip – what can you do but hope they'll be ok. It is a little heart-stopping but you know if they survive this, they'll be good top eventers.”

As well as the 14,000 sheep and 2,500 cattle, Haupouri is home to around 180 horses, ranging in from babies to the broodmares and top showjumpers.

All the lambs will be sold within a week, along with the trading stock, as they work to reclaim their lives.

“We have records that go back 140 years and this is definitely the worst ever – it is a one in 500 year storm for us.”

It took them days just to clear the one kilometre from the house to the stables.

Bulldozers and diggers are working to clear the tracks around the farm.

Mr Hansen says they've been heartened by the outpouring of support from so many in the horsey community, calling to make sure they're safe.

“It's all so crazy,” he says. “We battled droughts for four years and made it through, and in two days, it's all gone.”

The storm hit without warning.

“We're trying to make good and rational decisions amongst it all. We'll probably intensify our horse business after this, and do a lot more plantings out the back of the farm. One thing's for sure though – Ocean Beach will never look the same.”

The operation can lay claim to producing the top showjumpers such as Nicalette NZPH who has been ridden by Billy Raymont this past season and Anthony Thomas' Levitation NZPH.

Video Footage of the Damage to Haupouri Station

Source: Diana Dobson