The charge of the light-er brigade

matthew.tso@stuff.co.nz

Three mock black stallions that were once involved in a plot to rename Upper Hutt will see out their days doing charity work.

The life-size fibreglass horses have found a new home at Riding For The Disabled’s (RDA) national headquarters in Pauatahanui.

They spent over a decade on the Akatarawa property of Upper Hutt retailer Colin Gibbs after his unsuccessful campaign in the 2000s to change Upper Hutt’s name to Trentham.

RDA chief executive Chris Hooper said he’d never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Although not the sort of horses RDA was used to, the fibreglass beasts were a unique and generous donation, he said. They would be used to promote RDA’s work providing therapeutic horse experiences for more than 3000 people with disabilities around New Zealand.

Gibbs previously used 24 of the replica horses to promote his rebranded Trentham City Shopping Centre in Upper Hutt. The new mall name sparked a short-lived campaign to change Upper Hutt’s name to Trentham.

Though Gibbs now admits it was more of a marketing ploy, he had long felt Upper Hutt needed to differentiate itself from southern neighbour Lower Hutt.

Trentham, the name of Upper Hutt’s most populous suburb, was favoured for its connection with nationally recognised establishments.

‘‘[Upper Hutt’s name] has always made Upper Hutt seem like a satellite of Lower Hutt. The [Trentham] racing track and army base are a very well-known locality within New Zealand,’’ he said.

The horses were meant to evoke a sense of identity – drawing on the renown of the Trentham Racing Club. Gibbs’ idea was to drop them off at prominent places around the city to generate discussion.

Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy recalled that Gibbs’ plan from ‘‘2007 or 2008’’ never gained any traction.

‘‘It didn’t go anywhere at that time and it still hasn’t gone anywhere.’’

Neither Gibbs nor Guppy rated the chances of Upper Hutt being renamed any time soon.

Gibbs said he and wife Maureen were moving to Whakata¯ne and would not be taking the horses with them. Many had been given away or sold over the years, and he was glad that the last of his old friends would be earning their keep by working for a good cause.