Editorial: A great day as statue unveiled

OPINION: Today marks a great day for Timaru.

This afternoon Phar Lap, the wonder horse who put the New Zealand and Australian racing industry on the map, will finally get the recognition he deserves with the unveiling of a large bronze statue of him in full flight in his South Canterbury home.

The Phar Lap Raceway statue is a tribute to a great horse and the vision of a small group of enthusiasts who put their hearts and souls into the project.

Their enthusiasm – particularly that of prime movers Derek and Karty Mayne along with Anne Glendining and Derek Barton – has turned the project from an idea into a graceful landmark in three short years. Their genius was to recognise the Phar Lap story had huge potential but was under-recognised in the place where it all began in 1926.

The team was fortunate enough to find Joanne Sullivan-Gessler – a South African-born equine specialist sculptor who lives in Auckland – who had the technical skills and artistic flair to do justice to the great horse.

Like any ambitious undertaking the project has not been without its difficulties and it is significant to note that only a small proportion of the $500,000 bill for the statue has come from the South Canterbury community.

Recognising an opportunity is one thing, seeing it through is another and the committee deserves full credit for what it has achieved in a short space of time.

The statue is essentially a gift to this area which can only have positive spin-offs. It should be just the start of a well thought out project to capitalise on the mystique of the Phar Lap story. Fundraising will now begin for the next stage, which includes plans to build new amenities around the statue including a kiosk, toilets and ultimately, an equine museum. Hopefully the South Canterbury community will support the next phase with gusto.

The Phar Lap story is as familiar to Australians as to Kiwis and the statue, at the entrance to the raceway on State Highway 1, has the potential to be a great drawcard for tourists. It is a great story. Phar Lap's exploits lifted spirits in the midst of the Great Depression. He won more than 70 per cent of his races and deserved a graceful retirement once his racing days were over. Instead he was poisoned in his prime, sparking an international whodunnit that has never been solved.

The track events this week will also help to establish whether there is an appetite for an annual race in his honour. Just as Christchurch has its Cup Day and Melbourne its cup, Timaru could have a homegrown annual equivalent in honour of Big Red.

The Phar Lap story is part of Timaru's DNA. Now we must make the most of the gift his exploits and the imagination and foresight of some dedicated people have given us.

- © Fairfax NZ News