Te Akau Team Member of the Month

South Island native and self-confessed boy racer Graham Sands has the best of both worlds working at Te Akau. As float driver for racehorses he gets to enjoy his two great passions in life, horses and motors.

 â€œIt is a pleasure coming to work each day, I thoroughly enjoy my job,” says Graham, “I work with gorgeous horses and the Te Akau family. I love motor sport and as long as it goes fast then I am a happy man. But with the horses I am responsible for their safety and making sure the ride is very uneventful. It's a job I take very seriously.”

Graham's professional driving career started in the NZ Army. He enlisted at the age of 18 and went on to serve 21 years, including two tours overseas - two years in both Malaysia and Singapore. “The skills I learned in the Army I use every day in my position at Te Akau, safe efficient driving and maintenance of the truck to keep the horses safe and comfortable.”

Graham was born in the deep-south in Otautau but spent most of his youth on Stewart Island. His father was the last resident minister on the island and Graham discovered horses at 14 years of age. “I would regularly borrow the girl down the road's horse. One day I took him on a ride and didn't return until after dark. Well, I can say I wasn't allowed near her horse from that day onwards!”

Graham rediscovered horses when he met his wife April, a competitive horsewoman at the time. “April bought me a horse named Copper, an Arab crossbred. We were both learners, he was 4 years old and I was 63, but we had a wonderful bond and learned so much together. We even won a ribbon at our local Hack N Hunter Riding Club's show!”

Graham commutes to Te Akau's Matamata stable every morning from his home in Te Aroha. He admits, “Now that I am working for Te Akau, I have a deeper interest in horses. I look forward to seeing our horses race and get very excited when they do well - I get flutters when they run!”

One horse in particular has Graham's affection, a strapping 2 year old bay with one blue eye that is known as Blue (Saperavi - Sweet Dreams Baby). “What's not to love about Blue? He's one very special horse and April and I would love to give him a home once he retires from racing so we can spoil him for the rest of his days.”

Aren't we lucky to have people like Graham in the Te Akau team!

Story and picture - Stacey Bridgman

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