Equestrian Sports New Zealand and our wider community are grateful for the remarkable support that we continue to get for the Cyclone Gabrielle Equine Relief Fund.

We are honoured to announce that ESNZ has this week received an incredible donation from the FEI Solidarity Relief Fund of $57,300 NZD.

ESNZ CEO Julian Bowden says he is “overwhelmed by the support we have received. The donation from our friends at the FEI demonstrates the strength of the relationship we have developed over the years, and the FEI’s unmatched support for horses and humans around the globe”.

These funds will be used to help cover the veterinary support and supplies as we continue to deal with the ongoing effects of the cyclone.

FEI President Ingmar De Vos, whose last official visit to New Zealand was in 2015, said, “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused a great deal of devastation to equestrian communities in New Zealand, and the FEI family have not been left untouched by the stories and pictures from the affected areas.

“We hope that the FEI’s financial contribution to the Relief Fund demonstrates our commitment to ensuring our human and equine friends have access to the essentials that will assist them with rebuilding and regaining their lives after this natural disaster.”

With the FEI’s generosity, it brings the total donations to the fund to $196,622.80.

We are committed to transparency. Here is a full outline of allocations from the relief fund:

Vet Services Hawke’s Bay – $15,000

Vets One Hastings – $15,000

Vets First Havelock North – $15,000

Pony Club Branches – $10,000 (to be divided by 5)

Fiber Fresh Feeds – $5,000

Dunstan Feeds – $5,000

Truly Treasured Pet Loss Services – $5,000

Hay for Gisborne Region – $5,000 (to be allocated as required)

Petrol for hay delivery – $2,000

Pinehollow Riding School -$2,000

Equine America Vouchers – $1,000

Total monetary donations = $79,000 NZD

Moving forward, we endeavour to provide further support to vets, feed, feed transportation, and equine relief efforts. We are still only providing support to organisations directly.