34 Sunday, April 1, 2018 Hawaii Tribune-Herald
2018 Merrie Monarch Festival
‘Inspirational’
Faith
Pa‘u queen overcomes injury to participate in
Merrie Monarch Royal Festival Parade
You’ve got to have Faith.
Undoubtedly, the most inspirational
story of this year’s Merrie
Monarch Festival Royal Parade is pa‘u
queen Faith Kalei-Imaizumi. An accomplished
equestrian and waterwoman, the
recently retired registered nurse has always
lived an active life, as a canoe paddler,
rodeo competitor, horse trainer and pa‘u
rider, including representing all eight major
Hawaiian Islands in the festival’s parade.
Then, on Sept. 17, 2016, while participating
in the Pailolo Challenge, a 26-mile
canoe race from Maui to Molokai, she was
critically injured by the propeller of an
escort boat, a life-changing accident which
caused her to retire after 23-plus years of
service at Hilo Medical Center and
North Hawaii
Community
College.
Kalei-
Imaizumi and
her ‘ohana still
keep horses and
are researching
advanced prosthetics
to enable her to
ride again. Slated
to be pa‘u queen in
this year’s parade
prior to the accident,
Kalei-Imaizumi told
parade chairwoman
Missy Kaleohano several
months ago she
still wanted to honor
her commitment.
“I told her, ‘Of
course. You can ride
anything, a horse, a
carriage, a convertible,
a float. You name it,’”
Kaleohano said, adding
Kalei-Imaizumi
will ride in a carriage and the festival
is “pleased to honor her.”
“It’s really amazing and inspirational
when you
think about it.”
Another wellknown
equestrian,
Herbert Montague
“Monty” Richards
Jr., will serve as pa‘u
marshal in Saturday’s
procession. He’ll be
in a convertible.
The 88-year-old
Richards was born at
Kahua Ranch in Kohala,
earned his degree in
animal husbandry at Cal
Poly-San Luis Obispo
in 1953 and worked on
an Oahu ranch before
returning to Kahua in
1955 as assistant manager
to Rally Greenwell.
Richards
After Greenwell’s
return to Parker Ranch
the following year,
Richards became general
manager. During his decades-long tenure,
Richards implemented diversified agriculture
and alternate energy development that
helped the ranch prosper while maintaining
the land. Now retired from day-to-day ranch
operations, Richards remains chairman
of Kahua’s board of directors. He was a
University of Hawaii regent for 16 years
and serves on numerous boards statewide,
sharing his time, knowledge and expertise
with other businesses and organizations.
“We have a responsibility to our
land and our people to perpetuate this
life and lifestyle for future generations,”
he said upon his induction into
the Paniolo Hall of Fame in 2000.
Pa’u queen Faith
Kalei-Imaizumi
Courtesy photo
De Mello
See PARADE Page 35