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Curated by the NZ On Screen Team
This collection celebrates all things equine on New Zealand screens. Since the early days of the colony, horses have been everything from nation builders (Cobb & Co) to national heroes (Phar Lap, Charisma) to companions (Black Beauty) to heartland icons. Whether work horse, war horse, wild horse, or show pony, horses have become a key part of this (Kiwi) way of life.
Rodeo thrills and spills — Kiwi style — are on display in this doco following two cowboys competing on the local rodeo circuit. Broncs, calves and bulls are ridden, wrestled or roped; but pride of place must go to spectacular shots of deer being captured by leaping from helicopters. Cowboy up indeed.
The life of Trans-Tasman icon Phar Lap — the pavlova of the equine world — is the subject of this mini-doco. Bred in NZ, he spent most of his outstanding racing career in Australia, before dying in suspicious circumstances in California. Includes some of the scarce footage available of the champ.
Made when racing could be described as our “national sport” this doco follows the life of a thoroughbred, from stud farm birth through to Wellington Cup race day when roads are gridlocked with “a congregation whose bible is a racing almanac”. Includes a 'good citizenship' school for jockeys.
Occasional Heartland host Kerre Woodham visits the annual Easter races at r-r-r-Riverton, New Zealand's second oldest town, where the Southland locals have a big passion for horse-racing. Woodham talks to owners, trainers, jockeys and punters, and judges of 'Best Dressed Lady at the Races'.
Oscar-longlisted This Way of Life tells the story of Hawkes Bay hunter and horse wrangler Peter Ottley-Karena, wife Colleen, and their six children. Intercut with Peter's articulate bush philosophy, it captures the family's romantic, dignified relationship to each other and to the natural world.
This racetrack bro’Town episode opens with Jesus pretending he’s Mark Todd winning Olympic gold on Charisma, before following the lads preparing a horse called Honky to race in the Morningside Cup. Valea faces up to his horse phobia (and an underhand Pommie horse trainer) to ride on the big day.
This NHNZ doco looks at the fierce debate between animal lovers and ecologists over the wild horses of the Kaimanawa Ranges. At issue: an ancient and rare tussock land ecosystem increasingly at risk from horses recognised for their uniqueness — whose numbers have grown tenfold in 15 years.
The major contribution made by horses to NZ’s development is investigated in this Bryan Bruce documentary. This excerpt features footage of some of the 10,000 horses sent to help fight in World War I (with only four returning); and talks to one of the last milk vendors to use a horse and cart.
It’s cowgirl up in this continuation of the classic 70s UK TV series cherished by herds of horse-loving girls. Vicky Denning moves to the antipodes with her step-mother, where she is captivated by a mystic black horse — who does plenty of galloping along west coast beaches. Features a young Claire Chitham.
Mitch (Keith Aberdein) moves to Tongariro National Park to help wrangle wild horses, including a fabled silver horse. He clashes with rangers and deer recovery guns-for-hire (Bruno Lawrence is the black-clad villain) determined to eradicate the horses, and a showdown on the Desert Plateau ensues.
The rugged challenges of farming the vast aprons of the Southern Alps are captured in this NFU doco. The centrepiece is the autumn muster where 16,000 sheep are worked down from “the tops” with the help of horse and dog. “It's mutton every meal out here - we chase sheep every day and eat them every meal.”
A personal film diary by actor Martyn Sanderson showing the breaking-in and training of a young colt in rural Hawke's Bay, Charlie Horse was made when Sanderson was a part of the gang of Blerta creatives, based at Waimarama Beach in the 1970s. Alun Bollinger shoots the horse, doesn’t he.
Heartland host Gary McCormick visits South Island town Omarama, which is “about as remote as you can get in New Zealand”. He attends the Omarama Rodeo where he meets the Church family of rodeo riding brothers, listens to a spot of yodelling, and takes in the children's sheep riding display.
The Promise is the story of how an unpromising horse with a nasty personality became the greatest thoroughbred stud stallion in New Zealand racing history. Interviews and archive footage are used to tell the entwined histories of Sir Tristram and his owner, Patrick Hogan.
Is the Sport of Kings headed for the knackers’ yard? In the first episode of this seven-part reality series a TV crew follows new Auckland Racing Club CEO Chris Weaver (at 35, the youngest in New Zealand’s oldest racing club’s history) in his efforts to gee up the venerable institution.
This classic 70s kids’ adventure tale is set amidst the heady 1860s Otago gold rush. It was hugely popular at home and abroad, screening primetime on the BBC. This first episode sees plucky Scott Hunter steal away on the Cobb & Co coach to Tucker’s Valley, on a quest to find his missing father.
Herbs visited sometimes-troubled town Ruatoria in 1987 bringing music and aroha, and leaving with a mini-doco and this evocative music video. A beautiful video for a beautiful song (about beautiful people) it wouldn’t be East Coast without easy equine styles. Lee Tamahori co-directs.
The finale of the Lord of the Rings trilogy won a staggering 11 Oscars; A Ben-Hur-sized haul helped by epic battles scenes that featured 250 horses. One rider said of his experience on the Ben Ohau Station shoot: “I wouldn’t miss this for anything. I’m putting on weight, and so is my horse.”
In this Oscar-nominated ode to the "nation of drunkards" (as New Zealand was tagged in the House of Lords in 1838) a shepherd tricks a barman out of a bottle of ‘Hokonui Lightning', but too much pioneer spirit sees him drunk in the saddle and haunted by the devil's daughter (or delirium tremens?).
A girl is in love with a weta. Sadly the weta has an affair with a horse. Consequently the girl tries to metamorphosise into an insect to be with her love ... of course, Mr Ed. “I don't think anyone really gets the story. But there is a great feeling to the video.” Band member, Geoff Maddock.
The night before his granddaughter's birthday, a grandfather (Anzac Wallace) has a dream, the augury of which points towards a win on the horses. Te Moemoea was Rawiri Paratene’s directorial debut; the screenplay is by Patricia Grace, from her short story; and look out for a young Temuera Morrison.
Bestselling Pony Club Secrets author Stacy Gregg introduces the collection and recalls a horse-heavy East Coast upbringing. Read >
Te Ara looks at the history of the horse in Aotearoa, from when, where and why they came, to its place in our culture and identity.
We have agreed to share Phar Lap. Check out horse-tagged titles from our cobbers across the ditch, at Australian Screen.
Have we forgotten your favourite horse drama or doco (hold your horses, 90s teen series Riding High has been requested)? Let us know >
Finalist - Most
Outstanding Website
The ONYAs 2010 & 2011
Best Entertainment Website
Finalist – Website design
Qantas Media Awards 2009
NZ ON SCREEN 2012
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