Our Beginnings
The RDA started in New Zealand in 1972, and in May 1978 a meeting was held in Whangarei to gauge public feeling regarding the establishment of a branch in Whangarei. A committee was duly elected to set the branch up, and membership fees to belong to the organisation were set.
A constitution was formed in March 1979 and in 1981 the Whangarei RDA Headquarters in Ranfurly Street were upgraded with the help of Whangarei South Jaycees and local businesses. The land being used belonged to the Auckland Education Board and when the Education Department advised in 1984 that the land was to be sold, RDA found new premises in Jack Street, Otangarei with the help of the then National MP, who was the Association's Patron, and local firm, Parkland Developments Ltd.
Whangarei RDA was situated
there for three years, then circumstances changed again, and after three more moves, with much fundraising each time, approval was given by the Whangarei District Council to move Whangarei RDA to Barge Showgrounds in Maunu in 1994, which is where you will find us today.
The Whangarei Riding Therapy Centre is now one of the largest RDA groups in New Zealand. We operate four days per week with riding therapy lessons from Monday to Thursday, and up to 50 riders participating each week.
(Vanassa, riding, and Anne, leading - the current Whangarei Riding Therapy Centre's Chairperson and Head Instructor respectively - all those years ago in Tikipunga!)
We have a waiting list of riders but are unable to accommodate them all as we do not have enough staff or volunteers to run the sessions. If you have some spare time available during the week, and would like to make a real difference to someone's life, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us on 09 438 7521 or email charliehorse@paradise.net.nz.
Back to Table of Contents