Brendon's 5th Chopper ride - Dedicated to Nicola

I'm back in 2026 - my 3rd ride in a row, 5th Chopper ride and 10 years since my first one in 2016.

This years ride is a biggie - over 250km from Queenstown to Invercargill - via Gore and Wyndham. Around 80 riders starting at 5:45am and finishing at 5:30pm (all going well).

Raising money for the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Service is such a great cause as we all know someone who has needed this service to save their life or at least give them a bloody good chance.

This year I'm dedicating my ride to Nicola Sharp-Hinton. Nicola is much loved wife of Geoff, mother of Hannah and Zoe and sister of Tracy Yule, who sadly passed away on 26 March 2026 after a 6 month battle with Lukemia. When Nicola was first diagnosed back in October 2025 she arrived at A&E in Invercargill to be told what the blood tests had revealed and that she needed to get on the Rescue Helicopter to Dunedin within hours to give her the best chance. The chopper team were amazing and got Nicola to Dunedin to start her chemo treatment. We were all shocked to hear the news of her passing in March - this ones for you Nic.

Any support you can give is appreciated - thank you!