Kia ora, my name’s Ahikaa. I’m 13 years old, the only son of Aroha Grant—my mum and the powerhouse behind Standfast Horse Treks here in Te Kaha. One day, I hope to take over the reins and run the business just like her—maybe even ride as fast as her too.
I’m autistic and have low vision. I was born at just 23 weeks, but I like being me. My brain works in its own way—and that’s pretty cool. I do get shy and sometimes scared, so I still need a bit of help from my mum. But I’m full of ideas, and together we’ve started bringing some of them to life.
One of those ideas was to create plushie dolls—starting with the people who inspire me most: my mum, my uncle Haunz, and myself.
Meet Ahikaa – The Young Heart Behind the Standfast Plushies
They’re part of my Standfast whānau, and they both wear moko kauae and mataora, which I think is really special.
With Mum’s help, I found a company in China who could turn my designs into real plushies. We worked closely with their team to get every detail right. I used all my pocket money to pay for the designs and I’m still earning the rest by doing chores—watering horses and picking up poo (yep, the real jobs!).
These plushies are just the beginning. I’ve got more ideas tucked away, but for now, you can help me grow my shop by pre-ordering your own Standfast Plushy. Every order helps me keep going—and maybe even take a day off mucking out!
