Our Cover

Horse of the Year

Walnut, a great jumping grey, and his owner/rider Stuart Mitchell, take pride of place on our cover this month. This is the second time this combination has won the Horse of the Year title (the first in 1964), and Walnut is the only horse to do so. As well as the title this year they also won three of the five locally awarded cups at the show.

Yacht Aground

A combination of rough seas and a coastal chart believed to have given misleading information about the position of Sponge Bay island resulted in the grounding of an ocean-going yacht on the rocks between the island and the mainland. Damage to the vessel, which went aground on Easter Sunday night, after being driven ashore about 250 yards by strong surf, was remarkably light considering the battering she took by the heavy seas. Owned by Mr A. Smith of Whangarei, the yacht, which was calling into Gisborne on its way to Christchurch, was lifted ashore by mobile crane and was expected to be in port for about a week for repairs.