Ann Smith 1926 -

Ann Smith was born in Invercargill on December 22 1926. As a child she grew up living in Spring Hills, a small farming settlement some eighteen miles from Invercargill. She lived on a farm with her parents who had both been born in New Zealand. They farmed both cattle and sheep.

In the 1940s Ann moved to the North Island where she worked on a large dairy farm just south of Featherston. She moved reasonably frequently at this time, until she decided to settle in Australia. Following the Second World War, she was finally able to visit the outback. After moving around the outback in North Queensland and working as a cook on a large cattle and horse station for over a year, Ann returned to New Zealand.

She got a job in Palmerston North as a cook at Rosscos’ Tea Rooms. After deciding that she had done just about every job she could think of, she got herself a job as a Postie for six months.

At the end of this time she returned to Australia, where she met her husband, who she describes as a horse-crazy station hand. They married on a cattle and horse station and a year later Ann gave birth to their first child.

Six months later the family returned to New Zealand, flying on the old Sunderland Flying Boat. The trip took five hours from Sydney to Wellington. They moved to Palmerston North briefly before a final shift to Kimbolton, where Ann had two more children. The family stayed at Kimbolton until 1980 when they moved to Levin.

Ann believes that the Horowhenua has changed and improved. She likes Levin because it is nice and tidy. She doesn’t however believe that Levin catered very well for young people in the 1980s, although this has definitely changed with the aquatic centre, picture theatre, and improved shopping providing many recreational opportunities for young people. Ann is also impressed with the new Police Station, although she said it was never really needed when she first arrived in Levin.

Ann’s main involvement in Levin is in conjunction with the Riding for the Disabled Association, otherwise known as RDA. Her background in the Australian outback with horses helped her in becoming involved and she is now the main instructor. Her children always had horses so she has learned a lost through them over the years. When her children moved away from home she began teaching riding. She had two of her own horses and her first riding pupils were two disabled children in Kimbolton. The little boy she taught had a heart condition and the second pupil was a little girl.

Six months after her arrival in Levin, a meeting was called for anyone interested in starting a riding for the disabled club in Levin at Kimberley. Eight people attended the meeting which saw the establishment of the Levin Riding for the Disabled. The RDA began operating two days a week, but rapid growth means they now operate five days a week. The original three horses have been added to and the total now equates to nine.

In 1990 Ann was nominated for the Queens Service Award. She received her award for service to Riding for the Disabled at Government House from Sir Paul Reeves, who was the Governor General at the time. Ann Smith has given much to our community through her work with Riding for the Disabled and is a well known and respected figure.