Dateline: New Zealand - from Diana Dobson
New Zealand
lost one of its equestrian greats with the passing of Graeme Hansen recently.The
73-year-old Olympic showjumper and international competitor and judge died
in late August after a brief illness.
Hansen was the youngest child of Ruie and Eva.They grew up at Hexton, on the
outskirts of Gisborne. He started riding from a very small child. It was a
love of horses he inherited from his father – who was in the cavalry
in WWI. All four children were very accomplished riders.
As a youngster he picked up the name Hec – in deference to Hector Gray,
the leading jockey of the time – and it stuck for life.
From an early age he showed he had the skill and determination to ride at top level.
A huntsman, a race horse owner and champion rider, Hansen and the spunky little Saba Sam first represented New Zealand first in 1959, and in 1964 were members of New Zealand’s first Olympic showjumping team, which competed at the Tokyo Olympics. His older brother Bruce also made the team.
Saba Sam and Hansen made quite a combination, making waves and winning awards in Australia, Japan and New Zealand. They captured the hearts of the nation in much the same way as Charisma and Mark Todd.
After their international debut in 1959, they represented New Zealand again in 1961 in Australia, in New Zealand in 1962, Australia in 1963, Tokyo in 1964, England in 1965 and Australia in 1967.
To fill the gaps – there was no national team in 1960 nor 1968, and in 1966 Hansen had a year off. They retired in 1968.
Together they won champion hack and hunter of the year at the Horse of the Year Show and the puissance (high jump for horses) three times in a row, but the grand title of Horse of the Year always eluded him.
Always one to see the positive, he said earlier this year that in those days he got more pleasure as a rider in winning the puissance.
He adored Saba Sam – describing him as the most courageous little horse and a great mate. He considered himself a passenger who was fortunate enough to be his owner.
Hansen was always the first to offer help to young riders, walking courses, at the practice jump and even as far as heading into the ring at local shows to help calm combinations as riders struggled to contain a sometimes toey pony.
Hansen was still competing, and picked up placings at the 2006 Gisborne Show at 72 tears of age.
He was a well respected judge all over the world and was often asked to speak at judging seminars.
He hunted widely, and just three weeks before his death was on the hunting field in Rotorua during Hunt Week. Hansen was master of the Poverty Bay Hunt for 11 years and a former president of the New Zealand Hunts Association and he will always be considered a true horseman through and through.
Hansen was extremely passionate about racing and served on the committee of the Poverty Bay Turf Club for many years. He raced two good horses in partnership with his cousin Digby Hylton-Smith – Minstrel and Whitole. The latter was successful in winning the Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay cups.
And while this man could list sporting accomplishments most can only dream of, he was most proud of his family.
Hansen’s spirit will live on through that very close-knit family, the Saba Sam Shield – an
inter-provincial pony team competition competed for annually with great gusto at the Kelt Capital Horse of the Year Show – and the hundreds of riders young and old he has helped over the years.
He was particularly proud of watching his own grandchildren ride in the Saba Sam, including Tim Gardner who was in the winning team in 2000.
Hansen is survived by his wife Juliet, children Richard, Susie and Chic, their partners and eight grandchildren.
