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Graeme Otto Hansen (20 March 1934 – 22 August 2007), also known as Hec Hansen, was a New Zealand equestrian.

Career

Hansen was born in Gisborne in 1934 and grew up in Hexton near Gisborne. His parents were Ruie and Eva Hansen, and he had three siblings. His father was riding in the cavalry in WWI and all four children developed into skilled equestrians. Graeme started riding aged five; it was his transport to get to Mangapapa Primary School. He then attended Gisborne Intermediate and King's College in Auckland. His nickname "Hec" referred to the most prominent jockey of the time, Hector Gray.

Hansen started competing internationally in 1959. His uncle gave him a horse, Saba Sam, which his uncle considered not good enough for track racing, but it turned out to be an excellent show jumper. In 1964, Graeme Hansen and his elder brother Bruce Hansen made the first New Zealand equestrian team that was sent to the Tokyo Olympics. At the team jumping event captained by Bruce Hansen, they came in tenth place. In the individual jumping event he came twenty-third on Saba Sam. Graeme Hansen was New Zealand Olympian number 179. Both Hansen brothers retired from international competitions in 1968. Hansen was also competing in track racing and went horse hunting. He became an international horse jumping judge and was sought after to speak at judging seminars.

Hansen last went horse hunting three weeks before his death. He died, after a short illness, in late August 2007. He was survived by his wife and three children. In 2013, Hansen was posthumously inducted into the Tairawhiti Hall of Fame. In March 2020, the entire 1964 Olympic equestrian team of four riders (including Charlie Matthews, who as reserve did not get to compete) was inducted into the Equestrian Sports New Zealand Hall of Fame.

References

1. ^ "Graeme Hansen". New Zealand Olympic Committee. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
2. ^ Dobson, Diana (11 September 2007). "NZ showjumping great Graeme Hansen – Obituary". Horsetalk. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
3. ^ "Graeme Hansen – Tairawhiti Legend of Sport". Sport Gisborne. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
4. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Graeme Hansen". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
5. "Gisborne trio inducted into Equestrian Sports Hall of Fame". Gisborne Herald. 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

External links

• Graeme Hansen at Olympedia

• 1934 births
• 2007 deaths
• People educated at King's College, Auckland
• New Zealand male equestrians
• Olympic equestrians for New Zealand
• Equestrians at the 1964 Summer Olympics
• Sportspeople from Gisborne, New Zealand
• People educated at Gisborne Intermediate
• 20th-century New Zealand sportsmen