Source: Radio New Zealand
The Crusaders horses during the Super Rugby Pacific match against the Fijian Drua at the last game at Apollo Projects Stadium. © Photosport Ltd 2026 www.photosport.nz
Horses will no longer feature at the Crusaders’ home games.
The defending Super Rugby champions have made the decision to bring an end to the pre-match ritual after moving their home games from Addington’s Apollo Projects Stadium to Christchurch’s new Te Kaha Stadium in the central city.
The Crusaders said that while the horses have been “much-loved by our fans and a symbolic part of the Crusaders matchday for many years” they can’t be safely accommodated at Te Kaha (One New Zealand Stadium).
“With limited space around the field, the six horses would not have been able to avoid the playing surface, compromising their own safety, the condition of the turf and creating potential injury risks for players and others in the venue.,” the Crusaders said in a statement.
“One New Zealand Stadium is a $672 million, multi-use venue built for the whole community. This is not a venue built solely for the Crusaders. It’s designed to bring crowds closer to the action across sport and live entertainment and while that vision has been achieved, it represents a significant shift from previous venues used by the Crusaders. “
Horses before the Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific match against the Blues. © Photosport Ltd 2022 www.photosport.nz
The six Crusaders horses represent the six provincial unions of the top of the South Island: Tasman, Buller, West Coast, South Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and Canterbury.
The horses and riders led the team out onto the field and have been part of pre-match entertainment at Crusaders home games since Super Rugby began in 1996.
Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said it was a tough call to make.
“This is a decision that really hurts because the horses have been part of who we are from the very beginning, and we know how much they mean to our fans. That feeling of watching them run out in front of a packed crowd, while ‘Conquest of Paradise’ plays, is a feeling I will never forget.
“We’ve tried our absolute best to make this work, and we want our Crusaders whānau to know we have left no stone unturned. Ultimately, safety must come first, even when the emotional cost is high.”
In 2019, the Crusaders decided to drop the horses and the sword-wielding Knights that used to ride them following the Christchurch terrorist attack.
There was debate over whether to change the Crusaders’ name at the time due to the links to the Crusades, a series of religious and political wars between Christians and Muslims fought in the 11th and 13th centuries.
The Crusaders ultimately decided to keep their name. They ditched the sword-wielding knights for good, but reinstated the horses (carrying the six flags of the Provincial Unions) in the 2019 Super Rugby quarter-finals.
The Crusaders Horses during the Super Rugby match at Christchurch Stadium, 9 March 2019. Photosport
The Crusaders said they looked at several ways to keep the horses as part of the pre-match entertainment at Te Kaha, including turf protection measures, planning new flooring through the horse tunnel and purchasing specialised rugs for the horses.
Mark Donald, spokesperson for the riding group, said they were devastated.
“The infrastructure at the new stadium is simply not compatible with the Crusaders’ horses, which is incredibly disappointing.
“We have been through everything with this team. From the earthquakes, then the mosque attack and Covid. The Crusaders mean everything to us; we aren’t just guys who ride horses around a field, we are an important part of this club, and this is what hurts the most.
“We are grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from the community and the Crusaders themselves. After three decades, this is not how we hoped things would end. It hurts to say good-bye to something that has been such a big part of our lives. Our commitment to horsemanship, to our riders, and to the people of Christchurch remains unwavering.”
The Crusaders’ initial home stadium, Lancaster Park, which was also used as a cricket ground, had significant space around the field, while Apollo Projects Stadium had stands set further back, making it possible for the horses to operate outside the field of play.
Mansbridge said the move to Te Kaha represents a new era for the Crusaders.
“We’re incredibly proud of the traditions that have shaped The Crusaders, and the horses will always be a special part of our story. While this decision will take time to sink in, when the time is right, we’ll engage our community on what a new ritual could look like.
“But for now, we want to recognise what the horses and riders have done for us and our club for three decades. We are working through how to appropriately acknowledge and thank them for their contribution to our club and will confirm this in due course.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
