Founder
Dame Catriona was one of New Zealand’s leading international equestrian riders. Following a riding accident in 2002, she is now C6/C7 tetraplegic and confined to a wheelchair.
Initially, a group of friends planned to fundraise for Catriona herself – but a bigger picture quickly became clear. A cure for paralysis was Catriona’s dream – and so CatWalk was born. We support researchers in the very realistic goal to cure for spinal cord injury.
Catriona’s illustrious equestrian career saw her reach the pinnacle of the show jumping and three-day event world. She represented New Zealand on the international stage at Badminton and the Open European Championships with the key target being the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Since that life changing moment in 2002, Catriona has completed the New York City Marathon and climbed to Everest Base Camp on a handcycle. She was a finalist in the 2014 KiwiBank New Zealander of the Year; inducted into the NZ Horse of the Year Show Hall of Fame; recognised as the Community and Not for Profit sector winner at the 2016 NZ Women of Influence Awards; and, in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours list, was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Through CatWalk, we strive to make Catriona’s dream a reality by supporting groundbreaking research and fostering hope for those affected by spinal cord injuries.