Hōiho - Series One - "Best of" Episode

Since the arrival of the horse to Aotearoa, Māori have had a close bond with their hōiho. Annabelle Lee-Mather hosts the final episode of the first season of Hōiho – a series that explores stories of the unique relationships between Māori and their horses. From the hōiho Naati of the East Coast, to the brumbies of Te Tai Tokerau, horses have been long-time companions for Māori, and bring out the best qualities in people. This episode recaps the series, showing the places Lee-Mather has journeyed to, the people and horses she has met, and the things she has learned from the horsemen and women of te ao Māori. 

I think it’s that connection, eh? Like, honestly, if you sort of fight the horse, and you don’t have that connection with the horse, he ain’t gonna listen to you. Or he’s gonna throw you off. So I think it actually teaches them to actually respect, have respect for the horse, and then they hopefully in turn give respect to the people.

– A riding instructor talking about teaching tamariki to ride horses

Key Cast & Crew

Claudette Hauiti

Executive Producer

Brent Iremonger

Producer, Sound Recordist

Michelle Lee

Director, Producer

Annabelle Lee-Mather

Presenter, Reo Adviser

Siobhan Wilson

Production Manager

Ruia Aperahama

Composer