THE OBJECTIVE

The producer’s aim was to make a documentary that fulfilled a number of objectives.  These included:-

1.       The telling of an Anzac story which impacted on troopers and horses from New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain. The New Zealand story is represented by the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, the Australian Light Horse at the charge at the battle of Beersheba, and the British horses through photos supplied by the Brooke Hospital for Horses in London.

2.       The telling of a little known story, often overshadowed by events that occurred in other war theatres.

3.       To tell the story in the form of a journey, and to capture the naivety of youth represented when young men flocked to the recruitment halls only to discover that war comes at a price.

4.       To give the audience an historically accurate account of the times when New Zealand was becoming a nation, and at a time when the internal combustion engine made its debut on the world stage, impacting on the way horses were valued.

5.       Make better use of the archival film by adding sound and allowing movement to the photos, instead of relying just on the narration. This with the addition of traditional songs and sound track allows the story to be told more meaningfully. This is especially evident during the departure scenes which by all accounts would have been sad events, and during the Brooke Hospital and horse disposal scenes.

6.       This is a story also about compassion. Although the realities of the campaign are shown vividly, the treatment of the imaging is enhanced through the use of poignant sound track and timing creating moving and stirring episodes. This is highlighted when injured horses are treated. When the injured troopers from both sides assist each other after the Gallipoli Campaign it reinforces a belief that amongst the tragedy of war there is hope. For the mounted horsemen this means an expectation that they will survive and so will their horses.

7.       To tell a story about these noble and faithful companions who gave every thing they had with out question. In doing so, formed part of the largest Calvary the world has ever known, at a time when their very existence was being challenged by new inventions.