Waimate’s White Horse to glow
The landmark monument above the town is getting a revamp, as part of a major redevelopment, writes Chris Tobin.
The landmark White Horse above Waimate is set for a repaint as part of a major redevelopment, shining a light on the more than 50-year-old monument.
The preliminary work – water blasting, filling in the cracks, scrub and gorse clearing, have all been going on at the site, in preparation for the repaint job where paint that glows in the dark will be used to ensure the monument is seen at night.
The project is being led by community development group Waimate2gether, and part of the group’s enhancement of White Horse hill which includes more native plantings, viewing decks, plaques on the history of the area, in a plan previously described as one of the ‘‘major community projects in our history’’.
Waimate2gether project manager Jo Sutherland said depending on the weather, ‘‘we should be able to paint it [the horse] in the next week or two weeks’’.
‘‘It will need two to three coats, and we’ll be using glow on paint as well,’’ Sutherland said.
‘‘The Lions club painted it quite a few years ago, and it’s even been painted pink and in zebra colours.’’
In 2008 and 2009 pranksters painted the monument in the above-mentioned colours which was not appreciated by the Waimate community.
‘‘The monument is in amazingly good condition, although it has lost one hoof, and we’re redoing that,’’ Sutherland said.
In efforts to promote Waimate in the 1960s, the late Jack Sutherland, of Centrewood Farm, donated 10ha to the Waimate Development Society for a look-out and park at the site.
Norman Hayman, a retired farmer, considered a monument as a tribute to the Clydesdale horse, should be placed there.
Before the advent of tractors, Clydesdales toiled hard on farms all over South Canterbury. In 1918 the number of draught horses in the Waimate district alone was estimated to be 8233.
Hayman had worked with teams of Clydesdales at the family’s Studholme farm as a boy and in his later farming life.
However, a statue would have been too expensive, so Hayman and wife Betty came up with the next best thing, a white horse monument similar to ones found in England. They laid out more than 1200 concrete slabs on the hillside over three months and the white horse was born.
A cairn was erected above the horse and unveiled on October 19, 1968, by the then Minister of Agriculture, Brian Talboys.
‘‘Waimate2gether have been talking to Louise Stringer and Kaylee Bell, who are local musicians, about writing a song on the White Horse and its surroundings as well,’’ Sutherland said.
The Department of Internal Affairs gave $421,127 for the project in 2020, while the Waimate District Council contributed $20,000 for stage 1 and has collaborated with Waimate2gether ever since.
Further support has come from various community groups and individuals.
‘‘We’re looking forward to getting the input from the local iwi into the creation of a pou, which will form a dramatic entrance point.
‘‘We are working in collaboration with local historians, the marae and photographers on cultural stories to go on the information panels and on the viewing platforms.’’
Waimate schools have been asked to create several art projects to enhance the site.
‘‘Each school has been given a deer post as a canvas to create their own visual ‘mihi’.
‘‘This could include school cultures, sports, history and key personalities. We would like to be able to add digital content to the posts to make them interactive.’’
Sutherland said Waimate2gether hopes to have the project completed by October.
‘‘The White Horse area will form a place where the community can learn and understand who was in this place, who is in this place and who will be in this place.
‘‘It’s all go for Waimo,’’ she said.