Racehorses preparing for Cup and Show Week were amongst the 80 horses evacuated as a large bushfire – likely started by fireworks – burnt through 200 hectares of coastal North Canterbury land overnight.
The harness racing community banded together to help, trainers said, with most horses being taken to other nearby properties.
At least 18 were set to race at Cup Day in Christchurch on Tuesday. The efforts prevented the racehorses breathing in smoke from the blaze, by about 45 minutes.
The fire began on Wednesday night with police suspecting fireworks – which went on sale the same day – as the cause. Helicopters with monsoon buckets were deployed on Thursday morning to join the fire efforts.
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Peter Wright/Supplied
A view of the fire on Wednesday night.
Horse owner Andrew Fitzgerald said the fire moved quickly on Wednesday night in the wind.
“[We were] watching the sparks coming off the head of the fire and just starting new ones in front of it,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a bit of an eye-opener to how fast fires move.”
Fitzgerald said about 60 horses were evacuated from the property of prominent trainer Robert Dunn, while he moved about 25 from he and friend Matt Purvis’ barn.
Fitzgerald said the harness racing community came together in times of trouble and this was no different.
Jason Marsden/Stuff
This photo taken on Thursday morning show the extent of the bushfire.
John Dunn, one of New Zealand’s leading reinsman, said the fire did not take long to head towards the Dunn property, where Diamond Racing is based.
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It made it to within 100 to 200 metres of their stables, he said.
Chris Skelton/Stuff
Helicopters carrying monsoon buckets were fighting the fire on Thursday morning.
A friend put a post on Facebook about the fire and people were quick to offer help, he said.
“People I have never even met before were rocking up with floats to help,” Dunn said. “The help that did come was remarkable really.”
Dunn said 18 horses he trained, which were evacuated, were preparing for Cup Day on Tuesday.
Derek Flynn/Stuff
John Dunn has had to get 18 horses he’s training and preparing for Cup Day away from the fire.
“It’s not ideal preparation for them,” he said. “Lucky, with the people who have chipped in, the places they are at have made it very easy for us.”
“We’re going around now and working the main ones we have to and keeping them ticking over.”
Trainer Aimee Edmonds said it was not ideal to have the fire just before Cup Week, but added that the horses were adaptable.
Ricky Wilson/Stuff
Dunn compees in the Kaiōura Cup Race Day at South Bay Racecourse.
“It’s only a day or two that they’re going to be away from home, they’ll probably be back [Thursday] anyway,” she said.
The wider horse community offering a helping hand was not uncommon, she said.
“Everyone knows how much horses mean to their trainers or their owners or anything like that,” she said. “When you see someone’s in trouble, it’s just like second nature to help.”
Edmonds, who trains from the same property as Dunn, said the blaze got close enough to be “uncomfortable”.
She did not want to risk leaving horses on the property and, with Cup Week coming up, she did not want the horses to breathe in the smoke.
“Probably about three quarters of an hour after all the horses were off the property, the smoke really started to float in, so it was definitely the right move,” she said.
