Dolly’s picture triggers remembrance campaign
Image of Hawke’s Bay horse has started a push to honour the service of animals in times of war
After the rediscovery of Hawke’s Bay’s very own war horse, locals are pushing for more to be done in remembrance of the many animals that served in the wars. Out of the 10,000 horses that left for World War I, only four returned to New Zealand and Hawke’s Bay was home to two of the four.
The best remembered, Dolly the war horse, came home with highly decorated Major General Sir Andrew Russell, known as “the General”, of Tunanui Station. Dolly retired to the farm until she died in 1932.
In 2015 the General was memorialised by a life-size bronze statue in the Hastings Civic Square.
After doing some research on a old picture of a war horse from World War I, posted on Facebook, Hawke’s Bay man Selwyn Hawthorne rallied some fundraisers and created the Dolly the War Horse Trust, launching a campaign for Dolly to be memorialised.
The group is also trying to bring awareness to Purple Poppy Day which is commemorated on February 24 every year, as a way to honour and remember the animals that served during wartime.
Hawthorne said it had been a race to get everything approved in time, with the IRD number only approved on the morning of the campaign launch.
On that afternoon Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst was a guest at the launch, which included a surprise visitor Hawthorn had not been expecting.
Tom Lowery, grandson of Major General Russell, showed up — to the delight of the group, as he had told Hawthorne he wouldn’t be able to make it.
Kahungunu chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana began the unveiling ceremony with a karakia and blessing of the placard as well as the ground where the trust will place the Dolly statue.
While Anzac soldiers are remembered and celebrated on Anzac Day and Armistice Day, their horses have had no recognition other than one statue, Te Utu, in Hamilton.
The four trustees — Ian Emmerson, Selwyn Hawthorne, Sam Russell and David Holmes — believe a memorial for New Zealand’s service horses is “long overdue” and “now it is time to right that wrong.”
The end goal of Dolly the War Horse Trust is to fundraise in the community to contract a sculptor to design and construct a bronze life-sized replica of Dolly the War Horse to be exhibited near the statue of Major General Russell in Civic Square Hastings.
While speaking at the placard unveiling, Hawthorne announced that in addition to creating a bronze life-sized replica of Dolly the War Horse, the trust will fund opportunities for physically, mentally and socially disadvantaged children to participate in equestrian activates that would improve their wellbeing.
We implore your financial support of this great project that is in memory of the 10,000 horses who didn’t get back to New Zealand.
Selwyn Hawthorne Dolly the War Horse Trust
The trust has approached ex-New Zealand Defence Force official artist Matt Gauldie to estimate the cost of a commissioned statue.
Based on his experience with Te Utu project, a realistic war horse that he sculpted in bronze for the Waikato Combined Equestrian Group in 2017, Gauldie has quoted a “ballpark figure” of $230,000 for a 2021/22 project.
Hawthorne explained that with the help from the community the trust expects to unveil Dolly on Purple Poppy Day 2024.
Any surplus money the trust makes will go to Riding for the Disabled and the Leg-up Trust services.
“We implore your financial support of this great project that is in memory of the 10,000 horses who didn’t get back to New Zealand,” Hawthorne said.
The Dolly the War Horse Trust now has charities services status and has IRD approval for tax exemption to contributors to the trust.
Those who wish to donate to the cause can do so by visiting www. dollythewarhorse.co.nz.