Horse Ambulance goes Coast to Coast

Three of the raceway's senior managers, including chief executive Brian Thompson, put on the lycra and tackled the country's most iconic and long-standing multi-sport event.

Addington Raceway came up with a novel way to support the NZ Horse Ambulance Trust, raising $7,500 in the process.

Three of the raceway's senior managers, including chief executive Brian Thompson, put on the lycra and tackled the country's most iconic and long-standing multi-sport event.

On February 10 and 11, Thompson (far right in photo), and colleagues Facilities and Property manager John Denton (centre) and Andy Ross (IT Manager) ran, cycled, and kayaked the two-day Coast to Coast as a three-person team.

"We were there to finish, not to podium," joked Thompson, "but it was all for the best cause."

The annual race starts at Kumara on the West Coast and finishes 238 kilometres and a day later. After the opening biking and running stages on the Friday they camp overnight at Klondyke Corner at Arthurs Pass before kayaking and then biking their way east towards the finish line in New Brighton in Christchurch.

Thompson and Denton were Coast to Coast newbies while Ross is a veteran of the race.

Also helping were the support crew of Finance Manager Catherine McLeavy and Operations Manager Deb d'Guild.

"It's a Dream Team pretty much," says Thompson, "it was a lot of fun."

But raising money was the real focus.

Established in 2016 the NZ Horse Ambulance Trust has a fleet of nine ambulances the length and breadth of the country. That ensures that all race meetings and equestrian events are now covered.

The Trust relies heavily on donations and generosity from the public.

Thompson had no target in mind in terms of how much they wanted to raise.