Pomare was the stepson of Heikai Pomare who was a leader of the Ngai Mutunga hapu of Te Atiawa who lived on the Chatham Islands in the 19th century. Heikai Pomare developed a keen interest in racing after buying horses from Sydney, and Wiremu continued his stepfather’s interest in racing.
Biographical sources
- Mikaere, Buddy. "Horse-racing on the Chatham Islands." Te Karanga: Canterbury Māori Studies Association 2.4 (1987): 25-28.
Other
- [Letter]. English trans. Lyndsay Head. In "Horse-racing on the Chatham Islands." Buddy Mikaere. Te Karanga: Canterbury Māori Studies Association 2.4 (Feb. 1987): 25-28.
- This letter, written by Wiremu Pomare to Thomas Ritchie on the Chatham Islands on 13 December 1873, is a request for Ritchie to ‘look for a really good horse’ for Pomare to race in New Zealand race meetings.