The fun guys with the Canadian promo!

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 241, 3 May 1988, Page 34 (Supplement)

The fun guys with the Canadian promo!

For Ian Helton and Paul Scarf, owners of the Powderhorn Ski Shop at the Ohakune Junction, the start of the 1988 ski season heralds fun - and lots of it. The partners earned themselves a reputation as "zany guys" - and a following of clientele last year, with their in-store antics and displays of generosity. Topping the scale was the return air travel for two to Vancouver, donated by Canadian Airlines and given away to a lucky customer at the end of the season. And according to Mr Helton, 1988 promises to be even zanier! "The trip was a trial run last year - I'm assured by Canadian Airlines that they'll be doing it again, bigger and better," he said. "It was a very, very successful promotion, even though it started late last year - well over 2000 entries. This year I'm going to recommend that they run the promotion right through the season." The key to a successful business he says, is keeping a positive outlook. "That's what the whole industry is about - fun people," he said. "If what we're doing wasn't fun, we'd both be out instantly. Life's too short." Both Ian and Paul have invested big money - almost half a million dollars, on a future in Ohakune. The future prosperity of the town they say, lies in the continuing development of Turoa Skifields. At this stage, Ohakune is "absolutely undersold", according to Mr Helton. "You've got beautiful scenery, rivers and mountains and skiing - all sorts of things that could be possible here. The potential is absolutely superb." "If Turoa can lift their image in terms of the facilities up there, all the better." Both men have traveled extensively and experienced the facilities of skifields overseas. New Guinean born Ian has skied on fields in the United States, Australia and Europe. Until 1981 he was head of the largest privately owned meat export business in Australia. The transition from the meat industry to the skiing industry occurred when he officially "retired" and soon after moved to New Zealand. While he says he is a reasonably good skier, Mr Helton admits to having nothing on his two sons, Robert, 9 and Ben, 11. Both boys he says, are expert skiers for their age group. In fact, the family 's recent trip to Canada was as much for the development of the boys' skiing as it

was a business trip for Ian. There they had three months of undisturbed intensive ski training. Paul Scarfs love affair with the slopes spans 18 years and his first job as a ski patroller in Europe. Since then he has broken both legs and received numerous injuries but even they have not been sufficient to curb his passion for skiing. He arrived in Ohakune in 1978 with Doppelmayr and helped in the construction of the first chair lift at Turoa. He worked for the Turoa Ski Patrol for one season, then began developing ski chalets and lodges in the town. While he operates his own building company and has interests in the development of Miro Park, Mr Scarf has put both jobs on hold to concentrate on the development of the ski shop. Renovajions include work on the retail area and the building of a comprehensive ski boot department in time for the ski season. The men have enlisted the talents of a boot expert from Canada for the season. While some sceptics may think that costly renovations may not pay dividends if the Waimarino has another mild winter, both men hold high hopes that a boomer ski season is on the way. Says Ian: "There will be excellent snow by the end of June which will last right through to November. I'm taking wagers on it."