Jon Rawlinson

 * The online version contains some corrections to the print copy.

King Country rugby legend Noel McQuilkin, was honoured during a memorial event at his beloved Waitete clubrooms at the weekend.

A coach to many, Noel (aka Snagglepuss, Snags and Snappy) was an all-round ‘good boy’.

“That was one of his sayings,” his son, Kurt, told The News.

“When he was coaching or as a Rugby Development Officer, he’d pick someone and say: ‘you’re a good boy,’ or ‘you’re a good girl.’ It was one of his common calls.”

Noel, 86, died at Te Kūiti Hospital on June 3, surrounded by family including his wife of more than 60 years, Josie. Kurt, a former King Country rugby union general manager, flew from Ireland in time to farewell his father.

“My wife, Barbara, and I were intent on saying goodbye before he passed and, luckily, we got to do that. He had all sorts going on, but his ticker was the main thing, it just gave up in the end.”

Sharing his father’s dedication to rugby, Kurt is an ex-Bective Rangers, Leinster and Ireland centre. As a coach, he worked at Leinster and Dublin’s Greystones RFC. After more recent roles with King Country, he is again based in Ireland, picking up where his dad left off.

“As Dad finished his coaching career with Greystones, I guess it is quite fitting for me to take up the mantle again,” Kurt said. “From a McQuilkin perspective, there’s a fair bit of history there for sure.”

A builder by trade and, for a time, a Te Kūiti fish shop owner, Noel was well known in his community. He poured his heart and soul into rugby.

During his playing days, he represented Waitete RFC and clocked up 11 caps for his province in the early 1960s, alongside such illustrious company as the Meads brothers, Stan and Colin. Noel represented King Country in 24 first-class matches (1958-61, 64).

However, it was through coaching that Noel really made his mark. It began with Waitete, followed by a season with California-based Back Bay before he returned to New Zealand to coach King Country.

His first game in charge was 34-6 loss against Waikato in a friendly at the Island Reserve in Otorohanga on Anzac Day, 1989. His last was a 59-13 loss to Taranaki on June 14, 2000 at Piopio in another friendly.

Noel led King Country to a win the NPC’s Second Division in 1991. The union remained in the First Division for a further five years.

After moving to Ireland in 1992, Noel made a name for himself at Bective Rangers and Greystones. A second stint with King Country, for two seasons in 1999 and 2000, followed.

In 2000 he coached the Divisional XV that toured Samoa and Tonga beating Apia 47-11 and Western Samoa 30-23 but losing to Tonga 34-17. Two years later he capped off his coaching career by seeing his NZ Divisional XV draw 35 all with the John Kirwan coached Italy and then a week later go down 56-3 to Ireland in Timaru.

Despite this lengthy service, Noel was not one to rest on his laurels. He still had some work to do, helping the next generation of lambs become Rams.

“Even after he finished coaching, he did a bit of development work for King Country. Going around the schools and clubs, he still kept his hand in at grassroots level,” Kurt said.

“He had a great career, but all he’d probably say about it was that he played his part. With Waitete, with King Country and in Ireland, he just played his part.”

When the King Country Rams next take the field in the Heartland Championship, they may well wear their hearts, along with black armbands, on their sleeves.

“I don’t know, but I guess the board could discuss it,” said Kurt. “If that does happen, it would be a great thing for our family.”

 * See: Bective Rangers mourn Noel McQuilkin



Waitete honours rugby club great

Saving civilian lives cost James Stellin his own.

Now the heroics of this Second World War pilot are being remembered thanks, in part, to King Country’s Maraea Lammas.

Originally from Oparure, Maraea, aged 80, has lived in France for the past 16 years.

While watching a television programme about the Second World War, she was inspired to learn more about Stellin, an RAF pilot from Wellington.

“What moved us most about James Stellin’s story was his bravery shown by saving the village of Saint-Maclou-la-Brière and its people,” she said.

“Recently, we went to the village in Normandy and James’ resting place.”

“I looked online and found information about him. I discovered what an interesting story he has and I thought why had I not heard of him?”

Stellin’s is a captivating saga. This flying Kiwi was killed on August 19, 1944, in the wake of the D-Day landings.

His damaged Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber was on course to crash into of Saint-Maclou-la-Brière. Rather than bail out and save himself, Stellin manoeuvred his plane away, saving civilian lives at the expense of his own.

Stellin’s parents received a heartfelt letter from a C Jacobs from the French resistance, it read:

‘On realising the great destruction his plane would cause if it were to crash in the centre of the village, the pilot straightened up his plane with a vigorous and supreme effort, made a half-climb, then turning sharp left at an acute angle, it fell rapidly, crashing less than a mile away.

‘We placed the bier in state at the doors of the mayor’s office. Everyone brought armfuls of flowers picked lovingly in the gardens and left them with deep respect and infinite gratitude.’

Stellin was posthumously awarded the French Croix de Guerre avec Palme (cross of war with palms) for performing heroic deeds in combat.

Maraea Lammas (nee Paki) appreciates the value of civic responsibility – her mother, Rora Paki, was a foundation member of the Māori Women’s Welfare League and received an MBE for services to her community.

Maraea’s first visit to a little piece of Normandy, which is ‘forever New Zealand’, won’t be her last.

“On November 11, Armistice Day, we will return to Saint-Maclou-la-Brière to remember this brave pilot,” she said. “Every Anzac Day and Armistice Day we will remember James and all the other brave men and women who served our country.”

A hero remembered

Staff Reporter

Waipā’s second Home and Leisure Show has created a raft of new projects and pastimes – from getting the house clean to getting on a bike.

The show – the second run by Good Local Media, which publishes the Waikato Business News, Cambridge News, Te Awamutu News and King Country News, attracted a steady stream of people through the doors from Friday to Sunday.

They included Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan and chief executive Steph O’Sullivan, who took particular interest in the display by Rotary’s Urban Miners. The miners minimise waste sent to landfill through recycling. (replace divert electrical component going to landfills.

About 75 exhibitors were at the Don Rowlands Centre at Lake Karāpiro and autumn weather was kind to those who set up shop outside.

There was a touch of deja vu on opening morning as the first people through the doors were Marlene Prince and Graeme Hopkins from Highfield Retirement Village in Te Awamutu. They were also at the head of the queue for the opening of the inaugural show 12 months ago.

Other visitors included a group from Cambridge Resthaven and other retirement villages.

Feedback from exhibitors was that visitors were genuinely interested in what was on offer and wanted to discuss their requirements. They reported high quality leads and that visitors came out with specific questions and specific exhibitors they wanted to see.

“Exhibitors signed up for next year before they left the building, already talking about new stands they will build for 2026,” Good Local publisher David Mackenzie said.

The objective for 2026 would be to extend the size of the show so there is more to see.

Numbers were slightly down on 2024, which was a reflection of show numbers across New Zealand to date this year.

Organisers were encouraged by the fact that 95 per cent of visitors people were new to the show and there was strong support from the Te Awamutu, Morrinsville and Ōtorohanga communities.

“I love all of these products because I’m European and it’s all the stuff I’m used to,” Katarina Williamson of Advanced Trees Nursery said as she tasted Meyer Cheese handed to her by Hayley Meyer.

“I rushed here for the cheese before it shut.”

Hayley works in administration and accounts at the Meyer Cheese factory in Koromatua, a family gouda business started in Holland by Ben and Fieke Meyer. It was her first year at the show and she had enjoyed her first day, saying there was a “good selection of exhibitors”.


Day one is over

And with that, day one of the Waipa Home & Leisure Show is finished. Thanks to everyone who visited. If you didn't, doors open at 9.30am tomorrow. See you then.

And with that, day one of the Waipa Home & Leisure Show is finished. Thanks to everyone who visited. If you didn't, doors open at 9.30am tomorrow. See you then.


Waipa Show ... mark two

A total of 76 exhibitors will be promoting their products at the second Waipa Home and Leisure Show at Lake Karāpiro starting Friday.

The event, launched by Good Local Media last year, returns to the Mighty River Domain for three days – Friday to Sunday.

Waipa Home & Leisure Show 16-18 May - Click here for Exhibitors List & Map

Waipa Home & Leisure Show 8-page tabloid feature

“There is something for every member of the family no matter your age, your budget or if you just want a great morning or afternoon out at an affordable price with families or friends in a relaxed and friendly environment,” Advertising and Commercial director Janine Davy said.

“Huis Joinery, back for another year, decided to extend their stand, so that they could hang a barn door between their kitchen and laundry area. One barn door turned into two when they decided to give one barn door away at the show,” Davy said.

Exhibitors include home, building and renovation specialists. Stands will feature custom kitchens, laundry and joinery, carpeting and flooring, cladding, double glazing, garage solutions, solar panels and lighting, heat pumps and air conditioning, magnetic windows, fly screens, security doors, artificial lawns and turf, and professional painters.

Davy said it was an opportunity to support Waipā businesses “who have pulled out all the stops to impress” and national businesses which have travelled to Waipā so customers do not have to go to the main centres.

Waipa Home & Leisure Show 16-18 May - Click here for Exhibitors List & Map

Waipa Home & Leisure Show 8-page tabloid feature

waipahomeandleisure2025 #homeandleisure2025 #cambridgenewsNZ  #teawamutunews #waikatobusinessnews #kingcountrynews #Waipahomeandleisure #homeandleisure

Our exhibitors are:

 * OUTSIDE 1 - Advanced Trees Limited – Large grade specimen trees, landscape hedging, ornamental trees.
 * OUTSIDE 2 - Brandt Tractor Limited -Lifestyle equipment, Ride-ons, Compact Tractors.
 * STAND 3 + 4 - Air Conditioning Group – We supply and install heatpumps - best prices guaranteed.
 * STAND 5 + 6 - St Kilda Café & Bistro – We will be onsite at the show offering barista-made coffee and fresh food.
 * STAND 7 - The National Party - National Party membership.
 * STAND 8 - Roger Ramsey Building – Waikato renovation experts. Quality workmanship. No job too big or too small.
 * STAND 9 - Bamboo Sweets – Handmade premium chocolates including chocolate bars, bonbons and truffles.
 * STAND 10 + 11 - Outdoor Shade Solutions Ltd - Outdoor blinds, umbrellas, awnings, Shade Sails, Wave Shade, Pergolas.
 * STAND 13 - Kiwi Az Creationz - Indoor andoutdoor rustic wine barrel furniture.
 * STAND 14 - Resonate - Hearing health and hearing aid subscription service.
 * STAND 15 - Sentinel Pest Control – Rodent and insect pest control products.
 * STAND 16 - Wilsons Cambridge - Carpet, Flooring, Curtains, Blinds, Wallpapers.
 * STAND 17 + 30 - Mavis & Mick Shoes - Leather boots, shoes from Europe, plus clothing and bags.
 * STAND 18 - Wash Rite - Exterior house and building washing.
 * STAND 19 - Treetown Designer Kitchens - Custom kitchens and interior joinery solutions for homes in Cambridge, Hamilton and the greater Waikato.
 * STAND 20 - Step Flex Orthotics - Step Flex -flexing foot correctors.
 * STAND 21 - Hallmark Services - Better cleans with the Hallmark Team. Your trusted residential, commercial and carpet cleaners.
 * STAND 22 - Tiles on Devon - Showcasing a selection of our favourite tiles from our extensive range.
 * STAND 23 + 24 - Fowler Homes - Your local award-winning builders - let's talk about your project.
 * STAND 25 - Totalspan - Totalspan Waikato/King Country have you covered for garages, workshops, storage and more.
 * STAND 26 - Cambridge Tiles - Tiles for every style and budget, backed by local expert advice.
 * STAND 27 - Cambridge Solar - Solar panel systems, repair, cleaning, maintenance. General electrical services.
 * STAND 28 - Phiten Health & Performance - Natural products for improved health, sports performance, injury recovery, pain relief, skincare.
 * STAND 29 - Lawn Rite - The grass is greener when you mow it. Lawns, hedges & weed control.
 * STAND 31 - Bellberry Distillery - Gin and Vodka, plus fruit mixes (freeze dry mixes to have with the gin and vodka).
 * STAND 32 - Good Local Media Ltd – Show organiser - Information Desk located in foyer. Also, publishers of Cambridge News, Te Awamutu News, King Country News, and Waikato Business News.
 * STAND 33 - G. J. Gardner Homes – Residential construction.
 * STAND 34 - Double Glazing United - Retrofit double glazing into timber and aluminium joinery.
 * STAND 35 - Cambridge Real Estate -Residential, lifestyle and rural real estate - find your dream Cambridge property.
 * STAND 36 + 37 - Latitude Homes King Country & Waikato South - New home builds.
 * STAND 38 - Meyer Cheese - Locally handmade Gouda style cheeses.
 * STAND 39 - Bioptron NZ - Bioptron healing medical light therapy device and accessories.
 * STAND 40 - Seddon Portrait House – Family photographer celebrating your precious memories via wall portraits and albums.
 * STAND 41 - Alpha First Mortgage Investments - Offering wholesale investors stand-alone loan investment opportunities secured by first mortgages.
 * STAND 42 - Grinters Funeral Home/Rosetown Funeral Home - Pre-plan your funeral arrangement options with our funeral directors.
 * STAND 43 - Momentum Building Ltd - Building company specialising in renovations. Selling our building services.
 * STAND 44 - Daisy Garden Bags & Bins - Green waste collection service. Providing garden bins and bags.
 * STAND 45 - The Designers Colab – The Designers Colab is a collaborative interior design studio featuring industry leaders with decades of experience in residential design.
 * STAND 46 - Truestyle Improvements – NZ Swimming Pools - Fibreglass swimming pools, hard landscaping and concrete.
 * STAND 47 - EziRider - First choice best price fold-up E-bike.
 * STAND 48 - Straight Paint - Residential and commercial painting.
 * STAND 49 - Top Class Concrete Treatments Ltd - Turning ugly concrete into lovely concrete.
 * STAND 50 - NZ Sure Ltd - Life, Trauma, Medical, Income Protection, Mortgage Protection Insurance, Business Insurance.
 * STAND 51 - Cambridge Resthaven - 100% community owned retirement village, apartments, care centres and companion driving service.
 * STAND 52 - Scent with Love – Handcrafted home fragrance, including soy wax candles, melts, diffusers, and room sprays.
 * STAND 53 - Duzz-All Beeswax – Natural beeswax products for leather and timber, Bees Ease for pain relief.
 * STAND 54 - Carley's Kitchen – Affordable kitchen merchandise - your cooking and kitchen will be popping!
 * STAND 55 - Waikato Security Doors - Security Doors, Insect Screens, Magnetic Windows, Pleated and Retractable Screens.
 * STAND 56 + 57 - Cambridge Beds & Furniture - Offering quality furniture and beds for every home.
 * STAND 58 - First National Te Awamutu – We are passionate about helping you with your real estate needs.
 * STAND 59 - Versatile - Garages, farm buildings, sleepouts, cottages and homes.
 * STAND 60 - Bone & Body Blueprint Ltd - Accurate and scientific results for Bone & Body scanning.
 * STAND 61 + 62 - Unreal Lawns & Courts - Artificial Turf for Residential, Commercial, and Sport Court.
 * STAND 63 - Craftwork Garage Doors – New garage doors, including servicing and repairs.
 * STAND 64 - Yard Matters - Garden, lawn and landscaping services throughout Cambridge, Hamilton, Te Awamutu & beyond.
 * STAND 65 - Rotary - Urban Miners - Collecting E-waste, recycling, reusing and diverting it from landfill.
 * STAND 66 + 67 - Huis Joinery – Bespoke joinery - kitchens, laundries, barn doors, customer cabinetry.
 * STAND 68 - Mons Flavors - Six types of non-spicy spice blends, locally handmade, made in New Zealand.
 * STAND 69 - Masada Cladding - Premium NZ made weatherboard you never have to paint.


FOOD TRUCKS

 * STAND 72 - Black & Orange Catering - Low and slow cooked meats and delicious sides.
 * STAND 73 - Bratwurst Grill Cambridge -Bratwurst and legendary currywurst (sausage in curry ketchup), plus vegetarian options, loaded fries and wedges.
 * STAND 74 - Sawadee Thai & Asian Catering - Thai cuisine.
 * STAND 75 - Suzuya Japanese Fried Chicken - Japanese style fried chicken, served with a side salad rice balls (onigiri).

Another show stopper

Viv Posselt

Remko Pootjes is on a mission to save discarded pianos and spread the magic of music, and he wants Kiwi companies to help him roll it out.

For the past few years, Ōtorohanga’s piano man has been saving unwanted pianos from the landfill or the firepit by turning them into community pianos or bespoke merchandising display units to be leased out. Funds from those leases or sponsors go into providing piano lessons for children… hence his tagline ‘Pianos for Kids’.

“Schools today don’t teach piano in the same way they did years ago, so kids wanting to play need to have parents who can afford private lessons,” he said, “and not all kids want to limit their extra-curricular activities to sports.

“I believe piano lessons should be offered as a lifeskill, like swimming lessons, but when I approached 11 schools in the area asking them to support my concept of teaching kids to play, they all declined. It was either too expensive, the pianos were too heavy, or there weren’t enough kids interested. To me, even one student makes it worthwhile.”

Last year, Pootjes set up The Remiano Charitable Trust – a nifty play on his nickname ‘Rem’ and ‘piano’ – as a registered charity to ‘transform old pianos into new opportunities’ and help fund the free lessons.

He finds unwanted pianos from wherever he can, brings them to his workshop in Ōtorohanga, and either restores them to full playing glory or turns them into pieces of furniture. Some go into streets as community pianos, others become eye-catching bookstands or display units in shops.



Pootjes says there are hundreds of unwanted pianos in communities all over New Zealand. A quick internet search can unearth around 100 on any given day, some of them going for just a couple of dollars.

“It is amazing how many just get dumped.”

The trust doesn’t sell the pianos, it only leases them, he said. “People pay a monthly rental fee, but the pianos remain the property of the trust.”

Surprisingly, Pootjes doesn’t play the piano himself, but his partner does. The Dutch-born former engineer came to New Zealand in the 1970s, working in his field as well as in sales and in investigations. He is also a volunteer firefighter.

The idea to repurpose unwanted pianos came during Covid when a friend asked for helping in dumping an old piano. Pootjes wanted to salvage it … and so it started.

In just the past few weeks, Pootjes has launched a new website and is looking for a business partner who will help take his ‘Play Me Pianos’ to most New Zealand cities. He is also fast-tracking a new Piano Depot collection and workshop container concept that he wants to roll out near refuse dumps or zero waste collection points.

Through Pootjes’ efforts, people are tickling the ivories in towns all over the region and children who may not otherwise have had the means are learning to play.

“We are putting new pianos in towns all the time, and are looking at growing the entire operation,” he said. “There is a lot of interest, so exciting times ahead.”

The keyboard warrior

We are at Te Kūiti High School’s Services Academy where we meet the students looking for career options which allow them to serve their communities.

Plus we head out to Otewa to see the schoolhouse which could be moved into Ōtorohanga and our historian Meghan Hawkes tells a harrowing story about the loss of three Linton family members in World War I.

Read more

King Country News - out today

Whether by lining up a target through the sights of a sniper’s rifle, saving someone from a burning building, stopping speeding motorists or even just by instructing the young, there are many ways to serve our society.

While Joel Bradley has undertaken two of these roles, he says his students in Te Kūiti High School’s Services Academy will each find their own path.

“It's not a recruitment agency for the NZ Defence Force (NZDF). It's a lot more one-on-one based, focused on teamwork, discipline, physical fitness, leadership and all sorts of stuff that gets the kids outside of their comfort zone,” the academy’s director says.

“I'm here to support them with anything they want to do. It’s more about helping them find a career pathway and work with others in the school to help them reach that goal.”

The academy aims to encourage students to serve their communities, but this could involve joining the police, fire brigades or even simply by being good citizens.

Serving as a sniper with a reconnaissance platoon in Iraq, Joel appreciates the value of ‘path finding’ and he’s also an expert when it comes to training.

“We were training the Iraqi forces, giving them the skills they needed to take back their country from ISIS,” he says.

In the last year of his military career, he was part of the NZDF Youth Development Unit with his wife Deeanna Bradley.

“We ran Service Academy courses which gave me a lot of skills.”

Approximately 30 such academies are now running nationwide. While students are given a taste of military life, they are not boot camps. However, perceptions towards careers in the military have changed, Joel says.

“The kids went through a two-week induction course with the NZDF recently. They were straight into a strict military environment. We were all up at five with military physical training and drill. It was just amazing – the kids thrived!

“When we started, I think only one student put their hand up when asked if they wanted to join the military. Now, after seeing what military life can give them, more than half are interested and there’s been no pushing from me.”

The high school’s Services Academy mobilised at the beginning of term one, but it’s not a new initiative and Joel has practiced what he teaches.

“It first ran in 2010. When I was a student in the academy, it gave me the skills I needed to join the army, ones I was lacking such as academics.”

The school lost the programme about eight years ago.

Joel has been working with the principal Gareth Williams to bring it back.

The key to any successful programme run along military lines is willing participation.

“We provide guidance but the students really build the culture through their own camaraderie. If you try to force people into it and they don't want to be part of it, you’ll be banging your head against a brick wall. I won't take students that don't want to be here,” says Joel.

Students thrive in academy

A striking photo of her mother has won Piopio artist Ashley Tutaki a place in the finals of the 2025 Kīngi Tuheitia Portraiture Award.

Her work, titled Back to the Source, has Lina Goldsbury, wearing a long sleeve turtleneck, lying peacefully in water.

The challenge for entrants was to create portraits of their ancestors – tūpuna.

In her entry Tutaki wrote “as she is my mother, it is strange to think of her as “tupuna”, just as it is strange to imagine oneself as growing older and rising through the ranks of the generations”.

“But that’s life, and I believe this to be a true depiction of what a living ‘tupuna’ looks like in many whānau who lose their elders too soon.”

Tutaki, born in 1992, affiliates to the Ngāti Maniapoto and Rereahu iwi of Tainui and describes herself as a young photographer working towards launching her own freelance business to showcase and uplift Māori stories through photography.

The award, a collaboration between the Office of the Kiingitanga and the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakāta, was launched in 2020 to inspire new generations of Māori artists to create portraits of their tūpuna.

Artists are competing for a first prize of $20,000. The runner up and peoples’ choice winners will both get $2500.

Entries were open to Māori artists aged 35 and under who created an artwork within the last two years or specifically for the competition, using any visual medium, excluding AI-generated work, with whakapapa connections to the depicted tūpuna.

The shortlisted artworks were chosen by a panel of judges, including contemporary Māori artist Areta Wilkinson (Ngāi Tahu), Head Carver for Waikato-Tainui Iwi Renata Te Wiata (Waikato-Ngāti Māhuta, Te Arawa - Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara), and leading painter John Walsh (Aitanga a Hauiti).

The winners will be announced next month and the finalists’ artworks will then tour the country over the next two years.

Ashley’s angle makes the final

Two Te Kūiti dancers will be on stage at the World Dance Crew Championships in Auckland this weekend.

Alexi Hughes and Patea Tahana travel from Te Kūiti to Hamilton three times a week – a return trip of around three hours – to train with Street Dance Sessions and be part of their competition crews.

Alexi, 12, a Centennial Park School student, has been making the trip since early 2022, while 13-year old Te Kūiti High student Patea, who previously lived in Hamilton, began travelling at the end of 2024 after moving to Te Kūiti.

They will be among 15 dancers making up the Street Squad Varsity and Flawless youth crews at the international hip hop event, described as the biggest of its type and attracting dancers from Japan, Australia, the Philippines and the United States. The event will run from Sunday through to the following Saturday.

Street Dance Sessions was established in a Hamilton church hall in 2018 by Miriana Wetere-Ryder. She began tutoring “40 or 50 kids” – now there are about 200.

Alexi’s mum Naomi says both are passionate about dance and love being part of the Street Dance Sessions whānau.

“There are many reasons they choose to travel such a long distance each week, but it ultimately comes down to their love for dance, the opportunities available to them, and the strong bonds they’ve developed within the Street Dance whānau.”

The two Street Dance crews will also include one Te Awamutu, one Cambridge and two Huntly dancers.

Naomi Hughes said Wetere-Ryder was highly talented and choreographed routines that showcased individual strengths while continuing to challenge and develop dancers’ skills.

“Since joining Street Dance Sessions, both Alexi and Patea have seen huge growth in their technique, versatility, and confidence. So when it comes to the question of travel – spending a minimum of nine hours on the road each week – it’s absolutely worth it.”

Alexi and Patea hop on a world stage

Chris Gardner

King Country farms being burned to a crisp are being offered a $100,000 drought relief package, after the Government declared a drought.

The adverse event classification also unlocks tax relief for farmers and growers and enables the Ministry of Social Development to consider Rural Assistance Payments.

“West of the Waikato River it’s drought conditions,” said Waikato Federated Farmers president Keith Holmes.

“Areas like Tuakau, Piopio and Mahoenui aren’t getting any rain.

“Springs and wells providing stock water have dried up, and farmers are moving to once-a-day milking and sending stock to the works early.”

Sheep and beef farmers relying on income from grazing dairy cattle from eastern parts of the region are running out of feed, and some are having to send them back early in skinny condition.

“That’s a big hit on their incomes, and on the dairy farmers trying to capitalise on the strong milk prices,” Holmes said.

“Maize crops may look good, but with insufficient water, they’re putting on minimal cob and come harvest time they’ll have very little feed value.

Rotowai Farms sheep and beef farmer Natasha Cave said water was probably tighter than feed

“The King Country used to be summer safe, with fairly reliable rain, but no more,” she said of her Aria farm.

“We are making sure we have got good water systems in place.”

Taharoa sheep and beef farmers Chris Irons and Debbie Hastie are doing their best to fend off the drought on their 770ha farm, having received around half of the rain they usually do in January and February.

Around 70mm of rain fell on their Waitete Road farm in January, and 50mm of rain in February.

Irons, Waitomo Federated Farmers chair, said they were coping “due to good management” of more than 2000 ewes and 200 breeding cows.

“We are constantly asking ourselves if it does not rain in the next 10 days, what are we going to do?” Irons said. “Look after your capital stock first. It is what it is. We can’t control it.”

“Hill country farming in these conditions is very challenging,” said Waitomo mayor John Robertson.

“The hills throughout the district are very dry - the driest February that I have seen for many years. The few occasions where we have had up to 5mm of rain through this period have not been sufficient to adequately moisten the soils.”

“March forecasts do not look promising - a little rain, but not the many days of steady soaking rain we need.”

Across the border in Waipā Zane and Marie Kite expect to lose tens of thousands of dollars of milk production this season as they farm through extreme drought conditions.

Their Parallel Road farm, near Kaipaki, is one step ahead of the official drought declared for the region on Friday.

But there has been no rain, to speak of, since before Christmas and the Kites, who have run the family farm for 40 years, are looking at drying their 170-cow herd off a month early.

“I would call it a severe drought,” he said.

“There’s not one blade of green grass in any of our paddocks, but we have got to be positive.”

He has turned to feeding out silage to keep his herd going, and it is producing approximately 1 kg of milk solids per cow per day. Because of the lack of moisture, he’ll be drying his herd off a month early in March.

Holmes is chairing regular meetings with Waikato-Hauraki-Coromandel Rural Support Trust representatives and the Ministry for Primary Industries to monitor the situation.

The group met on Tuesday.

Waiting for rain

Mary Anne Gill

A mystery adventure race that annually transforms Lake Te Koo Utu in Cambridge into a haven for mums, dads and children attracted 473 participants this year.

The XRace, held on a humid Friday afternoon last week, took competitors an average of one hour, seven minutes 17 seconds to complete.

The Korakonui duo of daughter Gemma and father Grant Honeyfield blitzed the field, completing the 10 mystery challenges in just 43 minutes and 18 seconds.

The New Zealand Home Loans-sponsored event which started in 2013, was created by Shane Hooks of Auckland. It went through many name changes before XRace was finalised.

This mystery adventure race pairs parents with children aged 6-14 to race together, locate and complete mystery challenges, and compete against the clock and other family teams. The challenges range from physical (like tug-of-war) to mental (like memory challenges) to knowledge-based (like music challenges), and they change from year to year and course to course.

No two XRaces are the same. Events are held in Whangārei, Devonport, Tauranga, Taupō, Napier, Hutt City, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Hamilton, and Auckland.

Medals this year in Cambridge were presented by New Zealand representatives Zack Rumble (rowing), Bennett Greenough (BMX), Danielle Aitchison (Paralympian sprinter) and Becky Leigh (rowing).

Results:

Overall winners: daughter and father - Gemma and Grant Honeyfield (Korakonui), son and father - Harris and Adam O’Leary (Cambridge), daughter and mother - Jamie and Caitlyn Phillips (Hamilton).

Age Divisions

Junior (under 7) girls Zoe Gerritsen 1h4s, boys Marlow McDonald 56m44s, 8 year old girls Leina Kaelin 1h2m57s, boys Sam Panting 57m19s, 9 year old girls Chloe Blackstock 55m, boys Cian Moore 46m42s, 10 year old girls Charlotte Tate 50m21s, boys Harris O’Leary 43m25s, 11 year old girls Sophie Hickey 54m14s, boys Connor Moore 46m39s, senior girls Gemma Honeyfield 43m19s, boys Alex Simmonds 48m56s.



 

Honeyfields show X Factor?

The Stubbs family of Awatiro Farm are preparing for the return of kiwi.

“There’s talk of creating a Kiwi sanctuary nearby,” said sheep and beef farmer Ben Stubbs.

He’s from the fourth generation of the family to farm Awatiro off Te Anga Road near Waitomo village, and the family has found kiwi bones in its cave system over the years.

“The sanctuary will bring their genetics back to our place.”

Read more

Latest AgriBusiness news

King Country Farmer

Janine Krippner

When it comes to volcanic eruptions, people love numbers, especially big ones.

The largest eruption in 20 years, the highest ash plume in our lifetime, the most terrifying pyroclastic flows - these make great headlines.

But behind these impressive figures lies a lot of careful work to measure, verify, and confirm what actually happened.

One measure of the size of an eruption is the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI). As soon as an eruption begins, estimates start circulating, often stated as fact. This looks at the amount of material that was erupted, and ash plume heights, so this is not calculated until an eruption has ended.

To calculate volume, how much magma was erupted in total, as well as the breakdown into ash (pulverized rock), lava flows, or pyroclastic flows, can be a bit tricky and generally takes a mix of field work, computing power, expertise, and time.

It is important to understand the eruption volumes of past events so that we can understand what future scenarios might look like. To explain how we calculate the volume of lava produced during an eruption, I am sitting in Tenerife with Sergio Alfaya, who is working with me at GeoTenerife. Sergio has calculated lava volumes for past eruptions across the island of Tenerife, as well as the 2021 La Palma eruption.

One challenge with lava flows compared to other volcanic processes is that it entirely buries the landscape. The La Palma lava flow field (made up of many individual lava flows erupted over the three-month period) reaches around 75-100 metres thick in places. To put that into perspective, the typical height of a room is about 2.5 metres high.

We have to “reconstruct” what the landscape looks like before the lava covered it. For recent eruptions we can compare before-and-after satellite data, but for older eruptions we don’t have that luxury. For those we have to rely on historical maps and imagery to build a mathematical model of the pre-eruption terrain.

We use satellite imagery and drone data to capture the surface detail of the lava flows. With these datasets, we can compute how much lava now buries the landscape.

The La Palma eruption is the first in the Canary Islands to have high-quality data from both before and after the eruption. Researchers like Sergio can use this to refine their volume calculations and validate or test their methods.

The final result? The La Palma lava flow measures approximately 177 million cubic meters (m³). If we think of a dump truck typically carrying 10-14 m3 per load, it would take about 14 million truckloads to move that much lava. For another comparison, building Auckland’s Sky Tower required around 15,000 m³ of concrete. La Palma’s lava flow field is more than 11,000 times that volume.

Understanding the lava flow volumes from past eruptions allows us to run simulations of eruptions across different locations to see where they would go, and what the impacts to communities would be. Each step, from data collection to computer modelling, takes careful consideration and testing so that our science can be used to inform decisions and protect lives.

How much lava?

Contributed

Water decision

Last week Gordon Walker raised pertinent questions about the decision by Waitomo District Council to join five others to form a Waikato regional water organisation.

As he surmises, the decision of these Councils to put water services and assets into a regional entity is a result of signals from Wellington. That said, this move makes sense. Scale is especially important to deliver efficiencies and better outcomes with capital intensive water infrastructure.

Mr. Walker is mistaken, however, in saying that Waitomo ratepayers will fork out “...up to $16 million to join this company”. There is no membership fee. The $16 million is an estimate of the set-up costs for the regional company so that it is up and running from July 1, 2026. All six shareholding Councils will be called upon to cover this funding, of which Waitomo’s share is 5 per cent. This money will be lent by the councils, to be repaid by the new entity once it is operational.

Like Mr. Walker, I am aware of the risks around this set up stage. Rest assured that I am actively engaged with the five other mayors monitoring matters as this transition takes place.

John Robertson

Mayor of Waitomo

Letters

Meghan Hawkes

Meghan Hawkes dials back the clock to 1930 to see what was making the news in the King Country.

Ten tons of ‘superfine’ butter, in 400 boxes, were manufactured, graded, and dispatched from the Otorohanga plant of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Association during one month. The manufactured butter was considerably heavier in volume than in any other month in the history of the factory.

The receiving station of the Waikato Valley Dairy Company was also received a greater volume of cream than ever before. It was regularly railed to its butter manufacturing plant at Frankton Junction. The Te Awamutu Dairy Company was also collecting an ever-increasing supply of cream from its King Country clients.

The Grand Hotel, one of the oldest buildings in Te Kūiti, was destroyed in an early morning fire. The building, which was being renovated, was a two-storeyed wooden one and burned fiercely, the heat being terrific. The hotel had about 60 rooms, and there were four shops in the block. The fire had a strong hold before it was discovered, and the hotel boarders escaped in their night attire, several being slightly singed. The fire brigade worked to prevent fire spreading to the block across the street, the windows in the shops of which were all cracked. Stock in the Carlton Tea Rooms was damaged and the whole of Miss Pine’s stationary stock was completely destroyed. The office furniture of the Aard service car business was salvaged and Hains’ butcher shop was saved but damaged by smoke and water.

A Canterbury boy who yearned for a back-blocks life wrote to the Waitomo County Council – “I came across a 1926 Auckland provincial handbook and noticed there some excellent opportunities for the settler in the King Country. I would be very much obliged if you would send me particulars to the taking up of land there. I am 18 years of age, have had four years high school education, and have been on a farm all my life. I am very keen on that style of life, especially away out in the back country”.

Councillor Wilson said, “he sounds willing; if he is a good boy I’ll give him a job so that he can have an opportunity of looking round”. It was decided that the council should forward a reply in terms of Councillor Wilson’s offer.

The Grand Hotel fire

A ton of care

Congratulations Te Kuiti Hospital on your 100 years care and dedication to our community and surrounding districts.

During my 50-plus years of living here, I have had the odd occasion as a patient. The care is amazing, from the great meals prepared by the kitchen staff to the support of the loyal nurses and doctors.

My association with the hospital was during the 20 years I was involved as a volunteer with St John ambulance. Apart from the usual covering of rugby/netball games and attending accidents, we did many inter-hospital transfers of patients, including newborns through to Waikato hospital. Most trips usually included a nurse from one of the wards. It was very comforting to have them on board with their experience if something went wrong. These same staff have also dedicated many years working at our hospital.

I recall many a trip with Sister (Margaret) Buttimore on board, midwives Joan Hall, Taku Stanbury-Poa and the wonderful Bessie Patterson. Over the years, these ladies would have delivered hundreds of local babies between them. I would have also had on board Shona Hollinshead (who was also a volunteer ambo for a few years as well), Margaret Dunn, Trish Brough, Linda Davy …. just to mention a few. Of course there was also Sister Meredith or Tichborne somewhere on duty. It was not only the nurses who looked after us, but the orderlies.

I must make a special mention of Les Addy who always kept the ambulance well stocked with clean linen, blankets, bandages and oxygen bottles. Even if he had finished his shift, when the ambulance arrived back, he would take the time to replenish the machine ready for the next trip or emergency. Always appreciated.

We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful local hospital and dedicated staff who keep it running so efficiently. Long may it continue.

Jan Crosland

Te Kuiti



Water done well

Waitomo Council appears to be the first cab off the rank into the new Waikato Water Ltd .As we rush head first into this new company to satisfy our masters in Wellington, there are a few concerns that have not been addressed. Where does the up to $16 million to join this company come from? We only have around 4500 rate payers in the district ,and as far as I know we don’t have spare millions sitting in the bank. We all know that companies can and are sold from time to time, so what is to stop Waikato water limited being sold in the future?

I think council have not informed us well around this up-front payment. We have been told about the dream of saving money due to amalgamation of staff from the councils involved but not the upfront spend. I also see that only three councils are getting in the start with others coming on board after the first three (including us) have done, and paid for the setup and other heavy lifting. It appears it will be three years before all six or seven councils are on board .

There is an election coming up soon so it might be a good idea for every person whether a rate payer or not to get on the roll and vote. All of you people who rent should pay attention as well as vote because indirectly you are a rate payer by paying the rent which includes rates and insurance costs .

Some on the current council were vocal against three waters but are quick to bow to the current central government and jump onto this current scam to privatize water .

Gordon Walker

Piopio

Peter Nicholl

Waipa District Council has recently confirmed that this year’s rate increase will be a staggering 15.5 per cent.

Their ten-year plan also projects the rate increases for the next two years will be 10.7 per cent and 6.9 per cent and there was a rise of 14.8 per cent last year.

Over this four-year period, Waipā’s rates will therefore increase by a massive 56.9 per cent.

This year’s rise of 15.5 per cent is one of the highest in the country.

Hamilton City will also have a 15.5 per cent increase.

Tauranga City, which has had a lot of problems in recent years, will have a 9.9 per cent increase and Auckland City a relatively modest rise of 5.8 per cent.

Waitomo District Council, will have an increase of only 2.9 per cent. This seems to contradict the mantra that big is always more efficient than small.

Waipa has said one of the reasons for the high rate increases is unusually high inflation. But New Zealand’s inflation over the period 2024 to 2027 is likely to be around 13-14 per cent.

This is a far cry from WDC’s rate increases of 56.9 per cent over that period. Another explanation offered is that Waipa is a fast-growth area and there is a lag between the costs of development that fall on the council, which come early in the development process, and the fees the Council receives from developers, which come later.

This explanation is correct.

What I don’t understand is that Cambridge has been in a strong growth cycle for some years already.

Waipa should now be receiving fee income from the projects that were started three or four years ago.

WDC also said they had undergone an intensive cost cutting exercise in order to keep the size of the rate increase down.

Tauranga Council cut their rate rise this year from 12 per cent to 9.9 per cent by reducing staff numbers. I don’t know if their intensive cost-cutting exercise also included looking closely at Waipā staff numbers. I hope it did. What I do know is that they have risen from 189 in 2015 to 295 today.

That is an increase of 56 per cent.

It’s a coincidence that this rise happens to be exactly the same as the rise in Waipā rates from 2024 to 2027.

One thing that will be concerning the Reserve Bank when they come to take their next decision on the Official Cash Rate on July 9 is that most recent surveys of inflation expectations in New Zealand have been rising, and some show the CPI reaching five per cent in the next two years, well above the target range of 2-3 per cent.

When ratepayers in places like Waipā and Hamilton are facing rate increases of 15.5 per cent it is not surprising that their inflation expectations are rising – and that means it is very unlikely that the Reserve Bank will lower their official interest rate any further next week.

Staggering rate rises

Last week, I covered how volcanically active Indonesia is, noting that it ranks fourth globally for the number of active volcanoes. So, let’s talk about who comes in at number one.

That title goes to the United States—a fact that surprises many Americans when I tell them. I lived in the US for eight years, and it’s a great place to learn about volcanic hazards and how they’re communicated. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) runs volcano observatories in Hawaii, California, the Cascades (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho), Alaska, and Yellowstone.

The US leads with 165 active volcanoes - defined as those that have erupted in the past 11,000 years and are therefore likely to erupt again. Since 1950, 42 have erupted. You can explore these on the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program and the USGS websites.

Some eruptions are particularly well-documented, including the infamous 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and its activity again between 2004 and 2008. Lassen Peak in California erupted between 1914 and 1917, and Mount Hood in Oregon was active during the 1700s and 1800s. And of course, the Hawaiian Islands are famously active, with spectacular recent lava fountains.

But where the US really stands out is in Alaska.

Alaska is home to around 140 volcanoes and volcanic fields that have erupted within the past 2.6 million years - 90 in the last 11,000 years, and more than 50 in just the past 300. Many of these could be highly disruptive if they erupted today.

While most Alaskan volcanoes are in remote locations without nearby communities, they lie directly beneath busy North Pacific flight routes. These subduction zone volcanoes - similar to ours in New Zealand - can produce enormous volumes of volcanic ash, which pose a major aviation hazard.

One of the most significant eruptions occurred in 1912 at Katmai. It blanketed the landscape in volcanic ash (essentially pulverised rock). Even today, strong winds can lift this ash back into the air, posing a lingering hazard long after the eruption ended. Volcanoes can remain a threat well into dormancy.

There will be more large eruptions in Alaska. That’s why USGS monitoring is critical - not just for locals, but for global air travel. Their monitoring tools include seismic networks, infrasound, satellites, webcams, and even lightning detection systems.

I can’t talk about US volcanoes without mentioning Yellowstone—the “supervolcano” that sparks questions nearly every time I talk to Americans: Is it going to kill us all? When will it erupt?

There’s been a lot of fearmongering and conspiracy around the very well monitored Yellowstone. But as with our own caldera systems (like Taupō), these volcanoes are much more likely to produce small-scale activity. The most probable events at Yellowstone are hydrothermal explosions (like those we see in Rotorua) or lava flows - not civilisation-disrupting cataclysms.

It’s only a matter of time before one of America’s volcanoes makes headlines—not just for its eruption, but for the reminder it brings of the dynamic planet we live on and how they can impact us.

How the US tops volcano list

Every now and then, an eruption in Indonesia captures global headlines—and for good reason.

One of the most recent is Lewotobi Laki-laki, but it won’t be long before another volcano makes the news.

Indonesia has one of the highest numbers of active volcanoes—defined as those that have erupted within the past 12,000 years and are therefore likely to erupt again.

According to the Global Volcanism Program (GVP, where I used to work), Indonesia ranks fourth globally, behind the United States, Japan, and Russia, with 108 active volcanoes. I recommend exploring the GVP website with numerous eruption descriptions and photographs.

The Indonesian archipelago is a nation of islands —13,558, according to a 2022 satellite-based study.

This region is shaped by the Sunda Arc, a subduction zone where the Indo-Australian tectonic plate dives beneath the Eurasian plate. As the plate subducts, it undergoes intense pressure and heating, which releases water into the overlying mantle.

This lowers the melting point of the hot rock, generating magma.

This “magma kitchen” fuels the country’s abundant volcanic activity. But Indonesia’s geological hazards don’t stop there. Its tectonic setting also brings frequent earthquakes—and, as we saw on Boxing Day 2004, tsunamis. Landslides, floods, and severe weather events are common, too.

People often ask why locals don’t “just” move away from the volcanoes. But with hazards widespread and options limited—not to mention the cultural, spiritual, economic, and personal ties to place—the answer isn’t so simple. It deserves compassion, not judgment.

Volcanoes also help shape the islands’ rich ecosystems, fertile soils, stunning landscapes, and tourism opportunities.

Living in a volcanically active nation brings both beauty and risk.

While many small eruptions occur regularly, larger ones are not uncommon.

These can produce high ash plumes, deadly pyroclastic flows, and—when eruption deposits combine with rainfall—dangerous lahars. Visitors should always check for exclusion zones and follow local guidance.

Indonesia has produced some of the world’s most significant eruptions.

The 1883 eruption of Krakatau (often misspelled as Krakatoa) and its resulting tsunami is one such example, as well as the more recent collapse of the cone and tsunami in 2018.

The colossal eruption of Toba around 75,000 years ago is another.

Tambora produced one of the world’s largest historical eruptions in 1815, with the right conditions to impact the climate and cause “The year without summer”.

Many eruptions have tragically resulted in fatalities, brutally changing the lives of the nearby inhabitants—and, unfortunately, this will likely happen again.

Indonesian volcanoes have even shaped my own life.

The 2017 unrest and eruption at Mount Agung catapulted me into science and crisis communication, eventually leading to this very newspaper column.

If you’re planning to visit, it’s essential to rely on accurate, trusted information. I’ve seen firsthand how misleading clickbait headlines can distort the facts.

A good place to start is the ‘Magma Indonesia’ website, run by local experts and the country’s official monitoring agency. Volcanic ash-related flight disruptions aren’t uncommon in the region, so be sure your travel insurance covers such events.

Indonesia, land of volcanoes

News

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Wanted now – new members

2050 – it’s a step too far

Second time lucky for Hugh

Uni team takes their pick

Stars can tinkle, tinkle

Sound advice from Nick

With the club rugby season winding down and just an all Taupō premiership final to be played this weekend, local rugby supporters can turn their attention to the Maniapoto rep side.

This side will represent the five North King Country clubs and have received an added bonus of a direct challenge for the revered Peace Cup and Stan Meads Shield against Central Bay of Plenty in Rotorua on August 9.

To mark the opening of the new oval facility and improved Centennial Park Grandstand, Maniapoto will play Counties/Manukau Māori representatives on August 2 as a final tune up.

Over the past six weeks the Maniapoto selectors have left no stone unturned observing all the local rugby, engaging with players and coaches at their trainings and liaising with club officials for support.

“Our group has a focus upon providing our local players and rugby supporters with a level of community rugby which is a step up from club level and at the same time resurrect some pride in representing the time-honoured history of Maniapoto Rugby,” campaign manager Paul Senior-Partridge explained.

“With an outstanding coaching group featuring the vastly experienced Tanirau Manawaiti joined by Craig Bell and Sheldon Coffin this provides our young squad with some great learning experiences,” he added.

He said there had been “great buy in” from the playing group and to have a direct challenge for the Peace Cup was a real bonus.

His fellow New Zealand Māori Under 20 rep Rico Bell will be joined by brother Delane who was a star of the campaign in 2024.

Peace Cup competition rules allow “Players of Origin” and the inclusion of the experienced Murray Iti and Josh Coffin and cousin Kauri Coffin will bolster the ranks considerably.

Players are expected to confirm their availability over the coming days and the team will meet up on July 27 for an iwi presentation and to perfect their haka before launching into training on three days later.

“ I believe the quality in this team is there for all to see and hopefully local rugby folk will get behind us and a big crowd will turn out to Centennial Park for our game against Counties/Manukau Māori”, Senior-Partridge added.

The initial squad is.

Props: R Joyes (Waitete), R Mulligan-Green (Waitomo), L Taitoka (Bush), P Astle (Piopio). Hookers W Harris (Waitete), N Crook (Piopio). Locks: J Coffin (Player of Origin), I Griffin (Piopio), S Wilson (Waitete), F. Hahn (Waitete), B Pye (Waitomo). Loose Forwards: I Wana (Waitete), M Iti (Player of Origin) K Muller (Waitomo), J Crosland (Waitete), R Bell (Waitete) T Proffit (Piopio). Halfbacks: K Reymer (Piopio), A Sneddon (Waitete). Five Eights: C Hedley (Waitete), K Coffin (Player of Origin). M Cumpstone (Kiokio Utd) Midfield: C Karaitiana (Waitete), S Daniels (Bush) D Tutaki (Bush) K Hodgson (Bush) D Bell Piopio): Outside backs M Reilly (Piopio), P Marshall (Waitete) J Jolly (Kiokio Utd). Fullbacks B Hedley (Te Kuiti)

Peace Cup bid

New Zealand shearers have secured wins against England and France in the latest legs of the Wools of New Zealand test series.

Te Kūiti clipper Jack Fagan and Northland’s Toa Henderson defeated a French pair at the French Shears in Boussac on Sunday.

Henderson and Fagan also finished first and second in the Open final and their positions were reversed in the speed shear.

Victory in France follows a test win for the Kiwis across the channel at the Great Yorkshire Show four days earlier. Fagan and Henderson defeated England’s Nick Greaves and Dean Nelmes by 4.3 points in Harrogate.

“It was good to have a win with Toa,” Fagan said soon after the July 9 test. “Both of us shore really well and we’re looking forward to the three tests in Wales.”

In the show’s Yorkshire Open final, defending champion Fagan was second to Welsh shearer Gethin Lewis with Henderson in third.

The duo is now set to compete against Wales at Cothi on Saturday, the Royal Welsh Show on July 23 and the Corwen Shears on July 26.

Test win in the shears

Surrounded by family and friends, June Fagan celebrated her 100th birthday at the Panorama Motor Inn restaurant, Te Kūiti, late last month. The following day she celebrated with fellow residents and staff at Hillview Home.

The Fagan family includes numerous champion shearers and June said she was equally proud of all of her children – Robin, John, Kenneth, Geoffrey, Helen and David – and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Matriarch’s milestone

Jesse Wood

Black Ferns legends Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Ruahei Demant were on hand to present Ōtorohanga players their grand-final jerseys ahead of the premier women’s final clash with Old Boys Huskiez.

“They told the ladies, regardless of what happens, you’ve made it. Just have fun,” Jodi Whitiora-Te Uira, said.

“Those little messages kept our ladies playing good rugby.”

The well-attended muddy finale was a culmination of a great season for Ōtorohanga.

Leading 7-5 at halftime, courtesy of a Libby Kearins-Te Whare try and conversion, the visitors were more than holding their their own.

Old Boys then kicked two penalties through Keira Russell and were up 11-7.

Ōtorohanga pressed and scored through former Black Ferns front-rower Grace Houpapa-Barrett.

But Old Boys, down 12-11 fought back as several penalties went their way and the visitors barely saw the ball again. The Huskiez then scored another try and sealed the deal on full-time with a third, for a 21-12 win.

Although Old Boys were crowned champions, rugby and family were the winners on the day.

Whitiora-Te Uira said the rugby community has been incredible.

“Every year we get higher and higher [on the table]. It was a huge achievement.”

“Hautapu’s physio volunteered to help with us in the final because we hadn’t had a physio all year. To have a volunteer put her hand up was huge. It was a big, warm heart feeling to have someone like her reach out to my ladies.

“The players said they felt the sideline support during the final. They definitely felt the presence of our community and they couldn’t be more grateful.

“Win or lose, that was something that they took away, to be proud. They played their hearts out because of that.”

The tale of the women’s final

Norris Woodbine

With the King Country premiership club rugby season having completed the round robin format last Saturday we now have the prospect of semi-final action taking centre stage this weekend while the first division final will be played out at Piopio.

Over the past few seasons Piopio and Taumarunui Eels have fought out some torrid battles in what has become something of a traditional match up and the prospect of a continuation of their rivalry on Saturday offers rugby fans a mouthwatering contest.

Piopio have a 2-0 record over the course of the season but finals footy is another beast and the Eels have made steady improvement and are sure to arrive at Rukuhia Domain primed and ready for action.

With New Zealand Heartland number eight Caleb Foote leading the way and in superb form over the past few weeks the Piopio pack is a solid outfit and features former Ram Isaac Griffin who is a powerhouse.

Halfback Kyan Reymer has caught the eye of many good judges and can celebrate a call-up to the Maniapoto Representative side where he will be joined by Nathan Crooks, Josh Black, Matt Reilly, Griffin, and Jackson Hurley.

In the final week both these sides were defeated by Tongariro United and Taupo Marist respectively and these two sides have earned the right to host the premiership semi’s by completing the season in first and second place.

Taupo Marist will host Taumarunui Districts in a replay of last season’s final and in their last meeting only one try separated the teams at the final whistle.

Despite that Marist will start warm favourites as they are proving to be something of a juggernaut after posting some large scorelines over the season.

Waitete courtesy of a third placed finish will also have to perform on the road as Tongariro United wound up in second place by a narrow margin and did inflict the only defeat on Marist all season.

Both these sides have tasted success over the season having both won their home encounters and for Waitete the season has proved to be a marked improvement from their 2024 campaign.

The Waitete pack has been a formidable unit all season and will be looking to dominate up front before unleashing their exciting young backs.

Of concern is what appeared to be a serious injury to the strike weapon that is Baven Brown Jnr against District last week and the coaches will be sweating on his availability as he will be hard to replace.

Locals have the possibility of an exciting match at Piopio while we can be assured the Blue Army will descend upon Turangi to battle Tongariro United in force with an air of confidence a finals berth will be booked and on the horizon.

All games kick off at 2.30pm

Time for semis action

A packed sideline at Willoughby Park saw Old Boys win the Waikato women’s rugby premiership title on Saturday. But Ōtorohanga who came in as rank outsiders were within minutes of causing a boil over. Jesse Wood tells the story of a team which was just was the ‘Doc’ ordered.

Ōtorohanga women’s rugby side have built a family, a culture of support, and the fruit is now showing.

A magnificent chapter in their 2025 season came to a close on Saturday as they were pipped 21-12 by hosts Hamilton Old Boys Huskiez in the Waikato premiership final at Willoughby Park.

Under the eye of coach Murdoch “Doc” Whitiora-Reti and his assistant coach Murihiku Martell, aided by managers Te Arai Millar-Hetet and Jodi Whitiora-Te Uira, Ōtorohanga have become a strong unit.

They’ve stuck together for several years – three players received their 50 game blazers this season.

“Most of our players have been here over five years. There are long term players that come back after kids or play for another top tier club and come back,” Whitiora-Te Uira said.

“Doc probably has the draw in of 80 per cent of our team. They’re there for our coach. Lots of our players travel from the wider area. I suppose it’s a Ngāti Maniapoto thing.

“We have players from the coast, Taumarunui, Ōtorohanga, Te Kūiti - players from all those areas that want to play at premier level.”

The management are helping players become leaders and hope to inspire other women to represent Ōtorohanga.

“The whole team was amazing, but the likes of Grace Houpapa-Barrett and Rina Paraone’s leadership was great,” Whitiora-Te Uira said.

“Our number 10 Awa Whitiora, she’s the connection between our forwards and our backs. Without her mouth and her comms, the team folds.

“Superstars include our winger Ata Edwards and Libby Kearins-Te Whare who scored. She’s our kicker, our fullback and has just joined from Hamilton Girls’ High School. Those two play New Zealand women’s open touch. They’re from Kāwhia and they’ve come home.”

Whitiora-Te Uira believes support was one of the main secrets to success. The leadership from the players was also outstanding.

“It takes lots of getting to know your players. We have mainly mums and only a few players at school without children.”

“The secret is making sure the children are okay and making sure the relationship at home with the partners is okay. Without that, the mums won’t turn up.

“We have a lot of dads involved that cook for us. We’ve got about five dads that have given up their sports so that our ladies can get to play. I think that’s a bit of the key, the wrap around support.

“That’s what’s been our secret is making a family. Everyone’s wheels fall off but if the motor keeps rolling, they can always jump back on.”

Ōtorohanga finished third after the round-robin, winning six out of 10 games before beating the strong Melville side 13-10 in the semi-final.

After a tough semi-final loss last year, the team returned with fire in their bellies this season.

“It was always a challenge to play Melville. They’ve been one of the top two teams for about seven years now. Once we got that win, I think the whole Waikato was a bit shocked,” Whitiora-Te Uira said.

First seed Hamilton Old Boys had finished 21 competition points ahead of Ōtorohanga and previously beat them 46-0 and 38-19.

It was a completely different display in the grand final.

Lauding the ladies

Despite a strong stand by Kiwi shearing duo Toa Henderson and Jack Fagan, a Scottish duo claimed victory in the Joe Te Kapa Memorial Trophy test.

The first of the Wools of New Zealand team’s six tests in Europe saw Scotland finish on top by 2.9 points at the Lochearnhead Shears last weekend.

The Scottish pair made for formidable opponents – Calum Shaw is a five-time winner of the Scottish National title and Gavin Mutch claimed the NZ Shears Circuit final in Te Kūiti in March.

Jack Fagan’s father, Te Kūiti’s Sir David Fagan said the first test was expected to prove challenging.

“It was always going to be a tough gig in Scotland for Jack and Toa because the sheep are so different. You’ll only see the Scottish blackface in the islands of Scotland so the locals are very good shearing them,” he told The News.

In addition to the test, Golden Shears Open winner, Henderson, from Northland, and Jack Fagan finished fourth and fifth respectively in the Open.

However, New Zealand-based Mutch was the better shearer on the day winning the Open and scoring the highest individual points in the test.

King Country world record holder Sacha Bond and Wairarapa’s Bevan Pere were also in action in Scotland, both falling in the heats.

New Zealand team manager, Neil Fagan, Jack’s cousin, said he reminded Henderson of the challenges ahead.

“Getting to the final of the Open on his first day of competition in the UK was a big achievement,” he said.

The Kiwi duo will now focus on the second test against England at the Great Yorkshire Show, next week, followed by tests against France and Wales.

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King Country News, King Country Farmer and the King Country App are independently owned and published by Good Local Media Ltd – also publishers of the Te Awamutu News, Cambridge News and Waikato Business News.