March 2, 2025 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Toa Henderson, David Seymour, Laura Koot, Craig "Ferg" Ferguson, and Phil Duncan.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the Land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McGue Thanks to Brent. You're specialist in
John Deere machinery.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Here. Welcome to the Country. All sorts of fun and
games on the phone. Hello Tower, Have I got you?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Yeah, yeah, I have.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
So we're just trying to get Toyer Henderson, the winner
of the Open Shares or of the Open title at
the Golden shears off bluetooth and just hold the phone
to his ear the old fashioned way so we can
have a y. What a great story. This guy's got
just what to gets himself sorted. Also on the show today,
David Seymour on whether we should be in or out
(00:51):
of the Paris Accord, Laura Cooter world record for highluxes
in one place at one time in Kingston yesterday, Craig
for Gison reflecting on ten years of the Rural Games,
and Phil Duncan it's our weekly rain dance here on
the Country. But hopefully to Henderson, we've got you somewhere
between Masterton and your home in Northland. Good afternoon, congratulations
(01:15):
on that big title. And Marstenden on Saturday Night.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Thanks Seamie, I appreciate it mate.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Yeah, well, I.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Was very pleased for you because you were a hot
favorite heading in there last year. You had won everything
leading up to the Golden Shares and Leon Samuel got
there in the end, which was great for him. Love
a Southland shearer doing well. But it's great to see
a Northland sharer doing well. And I don't think i'd
be exaggerating things taller to say that probably no one
(01:44):
has driven more miles to win an open title at
the Golden Shares than you.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
What do you reckon? Nah?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
I yeah, yeah, I pretty much put in the miles
every weekend, a mate. But you know you've got to
do You've got to do the Casus year, you know,
if you want to attrieve your dreams.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, well this has been your dream. You're now thirty
four years of age, so you're not a You're not
You're far from a novice. You've been close, you've been
there or thereabouts. You've been, as I said, the dominant
sharer around the shows for the past few seasons. It
must be good to get this one off your back,
get the monkey off your back.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Hey, you're right there. Yeah, it's been a long time coming.
Just yeah, I've heard something about the golden years that
I could never do, you know, do what I wanted
to do there. But this year it or you know,
it all sort of switchbox and yeah, I'll come away
with the I'll come away with the big one, which
(02:42):
is what we.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Wanted absolutely, I suppose in a way. I mean, there's
so many good sharers vying for this, but Leon Samuels
last or the reigning champ, Rolling Smith Smith eight times
one or four times winter John Kirkpatrick and Gavin Much
are also a four winner. They were eliminated in the
quarters and the semi finals. But you still had a
(03:05):
very strong field to deal with, including the likes of
let's have a look Angus Angus Moore, David Buick, the
local favorite. There were three Southland sharers in there as well.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Yeah, there was a big field everyone. I give credit
to everyone that made that final. You know, it's a
big journey, you know, coming from ninety one sharers down
to thirty and then from thirty to twelve, you know,
and then you've got to make that top six. But
once I made the top six, there was pretty much
(03:42):
you know, I was too close to achieving what I
wanted to do and I let it all go on
Saturday night and and I was having for the best.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well, and you got the best. You were first off
the board, your twenty sheep and sixteen minutes and sixteen
seconds you won by two point one three points. To
most people, that doesn't mean much, but by Golden Shares standards,
Toy Henderson, that's a pretty clear win.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Yeah, it was a big win. I knew David would
be right behind me, and so my opinion was going
into it was just to put the pressure on the boys.
You know, if David Fagan always told me there's one
thing that just can't take away and next time, so
I tried to put the time on them. I knew
David was there, and I was just I was just
(04:30):
I was just grateful that, you know, I was keeping
my job, and you know, I probably could have saw
them a bit faster, but at the end of the day,
I wanted to come away with that trophy and that's
exactly what we did.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
You're notorious.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
And I'm quoting Doug Lang here, who does such a
great job as the pr guy for Sharing end Z,
and he's saying, you're notorious for your many trips from
your Kaiwaker home in Northland. There excursions of six to
seven hours each way to enter a ser in competition
and driving home that night along, often sharing the wheel
(05:06):
with your father Mike.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So Mike must be very proud of you.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yeah, the old man. He couldn't be more wrapped. You know,
it's been me and him, do you know, we're always
in the car together and we go down you know,
we do these we do these finals and you know
when we come away, you know we mightn't come away
with the result, but every every every trip we make,
(05:31):
you know, we've got seven hours to sort out where
I went wrong and what I've got to do better
next time, and you know, just yeah, we just come
away with it on Saturday night, and you know, for
me and my family it's such a big achievement. And
that's always what I've wanted to do, was actually to
hold the Golden Shares trophy and then bring it back
(05:51):
to Calker.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Well, I guess there's just maybe one of the well
the New Zealand Shares Us and take a weddy in
early April you'll be you'll be lining up for that
one as well. But next year at marsterd and we've
got the World Sharing Champs. That's got to be in
your sites as well.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yeah, that's been a big goal of mine, a always
to represent our country. You know, just like any athlete
on in New Zealand, we all want to wear that's
awfurn on our chest. And you know if I if
we get the chance, if I get the chance to
do it, I'll be you know, I'll be so proud
and I know I'll be representing New Zealand to the
(06:28):
best and to the best of my limit and my ability.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Well in that big Open final, first you were first placed,
David Berwick, the local favorite, second place, Casey Bailey, runner
up at the Golden Shares Open Final last year from
Riverton in Southland, he was third. Angus More out of
Marlborough was fourth. Nathan Stratford, what a legend he is fifth.
That's his twelfth Open final and Brett Roberts's first Open final.
(06:54):
Good young lad from Matara down on Southland as well,
So we had, as I said, three Southland sharer in
that Open final. Tyer Henderson, congratulations on please you've got
the monkey off your back. Onwards and upwards from here
and thank you for taking time to chat to me
because I know you spent half your life on the
road driving to sharing competitions. So well done. They can
(07:14):
never take that one away from you.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Oh thanks man, I appreciate the core and yeah, anything
to do our country better with our sharing.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Career, good on you. There you go.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
What a magnificent effort it was from Taler Henderson. In fact,
all the competitors, they had record numbers of entries at
masterd and over the weekend for the novice and junior sections. Also,
I've got to do a shout out to Joel Henray.
I think he won this eleventh title in the wall
(07:45):
handling up against a tough field as well, So well
done to Joel Henray.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
We'll have all the results.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
You can find all the results on our website. So
that was the Golden Shares. Lots of other things happening
over the weekend. We're going to catch up on this.
By the way, is great Bowie song from the eighties
called Modern Love. I thought i'd throw it in there
because last night I didn't get dragged along. I was
quite keen to go along and see the latest Bridget
(08:13):
Jones movie. I'd give it a five or six with
a tail wind to be perfectly honest, but this is
This is on the soundtrack for the movie, so yeah,
it's worth a lot. But I think the first Bridget
Jones was the best Bridget Jones. Up next on the Country,
(08:34):
we are going to be chatting to David Seymour. Should
we stay in the Paris Accord. That's one of the
questions we're going to throw at him next. And as
he'd bitten off more than he can chew metaphorically of course,
with the school lunch program, all that and heaps of
other stuff between now and one on the Country.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yes, Rick Assley.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
According to Rolling Stone magazine, this is one of the
ten worst songs from the nineteen eighties. I reckon Rick
Astley is a bit of a doppelganger for our next
guest on the Country, David Seymour, soon to be Deputy
Prime Minister, act Party leader. But David, this piece of
(09:37):
wit by me has completely wasted on you because you
don't know who Rick Astley is.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Good afternoon, Mace, Good afternoon.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
I wasn't memorizing saying me in the eighties are still
being born, but I do recognize that song and just
feel sorry for the guy.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
At least he.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
May not have had great looks. If he's my doppel ganger,
but at least he could sing unlike me.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Now, should we opt out of the Paris Agreement? I
sent you a text last week before I was chatting
to Winston, just to get your view on them. This
is what you came back with.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Not yet.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
At some point, though, enough of our trading partners will
tip to the point where the cost of being in
is greater than the punishment for leaving. But I don't
think we're there yet. That is a quote from you.
Do you stick by that?
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Yeah? Absolutely. I was just as you were raising the topic,
I was thinking what would I say, and then you
read out exactly what I was going to say. They
are great news about being consistent in telling their lies,
as you don't have to remember anything fair enough?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Will it be, as Shane Jones eloquently pointed out last
week on the show, will it be every man for
himself leading into the election next year Because the NATS
want us to stay in, Winston and Shane want us out,
and you're saying, look, eventually we're probably going to have
to get out.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Well, I think everyone in the government is ultimately here
for in New Zealand, and I think that they will
want to evaluate what is the calculus. It's also true
that sometimes these things aren't a zero some game. You
can bring new ideas to the table. And one idea
that I was discussing with Mark Cameron and Andrew Hoggard
(11:22):
a couple of weeks back when this first became an
issue was the idea that we should be looking to
renegotiate on methane and we should start by forming an
alliance of like minded countries that are equally exposed to methane.
Uruguay is actually an ally who knew, but actually most
of South America has a lot, has a lot of
(11:44):
bovines and maybe the odd sheep that are omitting a
lot of methane and they're getting punished for it. Then
you go through Southeast Asia and you see how much
a mission there is actually from rice, actually more than
from bovines. And I think we should be starting to
put a viewers out to a friend around the world
and say we need a methane alliance so that we
(12:07):
can get a better deal for countries like ours. Instead
of the bureaucracy going overseas and coming back to represent
these international organizations to new Zealanders. Maybe they could start
representing the hopes and dreams of New Zealanders to these
international organizations.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
You're kind of the Elon Musk of New Zealand politics.
He was set to cut all the red tape and
regulation out of the US Civil Service. If you call
it that, I don't know what they call it over there.
You've been given the same job here as regulation minister,
and you've started, you've started merrily into your work. You've
(12:45):
cut quite a bit of red tape for farmers.
Speaker 6 (12:48):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
Look, it's a real shame that if you want to
get inhibit as hervisides animal medicines test, it can take
up to five and a half years to get a consent. Now,
that's not going to work for New Zealand because even
(13:10):
though we are mighty, we are still relatively small. So
for example, our apples may be fantastic, but only zero
point six percent of the world's apples are produced in
New Zealand. Now, as the EU starts to change its approach,
they want softer chemicals, new products. The longer it takes
(13:31):
for us to switch products and change it and get
consent for new products, the further behind we get and
we put our market access at risks. So what the
Ministry for Regulations done has gone out done a pretty
sharp review that've listened to eighty different groups, taken fifty submissions,
often quite detailed and technical, and they've come up with
an action plan for both the EPA and Animal Compounds
(13:56):
in Veterinary Medicine Department at MPI. First of all, for
them to work together, because that's one of the big problems.
Second of all, to have a stakeholder group that is
there to represent the interests of those people actually trying
to import products, and finally to set some targets for
getting the weightless down. All of this is designed to
(14:18):
make sure that New Zealand farmers, New Zealand horticulturalists can
get access to the best products in the world, faster
and really excited. It's the first of these sector of
views that the Ministry for Regulations done and I think
that as small of the roll out we're.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Going to get along one good on you for cutting
red tape. A couple to quickly finish on where do
you sit or where does the act party sits on
a four year term for Parliament? Could we, for instance,
have a referendum in the next general election twenty twenty
six around this one, it would seem would make good
sense to me to put a government in for four years.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Well, I go to first of all, concede. I recognize
I'm probably on a high adding to nothing the behavior
of politicians around the world and even in New Zealand.
Sometimes for a politician to say just trust us for
another year is probably going to land on deaf ears
or even be resented by many voters. And I get that,
(15:16):
but I fully support it because I honestly believe that
moving to a four year term will mean that we
get slower, more intelligent, thoughtful debate and lawmaking, and ultimately
less of the flip flopping and chopping and changing that
just makes this a damn hard place to do business.
So you know what I'd say to people, as I know,
(15:38):
am not hiding to nothing, but please have a look
at what we're proposing, and in particular what the government's
proposing is actually initially, at least based on my old
members Bill, it says that we'll only get a four
year term if the select committees are independent and controlled
by the opposition to get extra scrutiny. So we're going
(16:00):
to give politicians the extra year. And I say politicians
because this is a long term thing. This is probably
you won't really be in effect till after I'm gone.
But you know, if we're going to go to a
four year term, we'll also get more scrutiny off the
government by select command.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Okay, really quickly to finish on have you bitten off
more than you can chew?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Metaphorically? Of course, when it.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Comes to the reform of your school lunch is clear
Trevett one of my favorite writers in the Herald, even
though she's gone unfortunately or will go. She writes, governments
can live or die by an accumulation of small failings,
and the issue of school lunches has started to be
devil this government. Imagine if you bring down the coalition
(16:46):
because he has school lunches.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
David Seymour, Well, that does take a lot of imagination.
I mean a couple of things. One is, we're saving
one hundred and seventy million bucks. So if people want
to save money and actually has step in lower taxes,
you have to be prepared to do things like this.
Second of all, it started off with some real problems.
(17:08):
We had on one day, in one city, only eleven
percent of the meals were delivered on time and full.
Now we're hitting one hundred percent basically where basically every day.
There's a few places that are ninety seven or ninety
eight percent some days, but for the most part it's
one hundred percent delivery in full on time. Then there's
people complaining about the quality. There's some issues there, and
(17:30):
just as we fix the on time delivery, we will
fix those two and at the end of the day,
we'll be able to point to many kids who are
writing in principles, who are writing in saying, look, actually,
this is better than what we had last year. There'll
be people who want to make a big political issue
out of it, but at the end of the day,
we're going to get as good, in many cases better
(17:51):
lunches than last year at half the cost. And that's
actually the kind of thing the government needs to do.
I just acknowledged the other seventy five percent of parents
who were sending their kids to school with lunch. They
campaigned against ephen having this policy, but in a political
twist of phase, I ended up in charge of it.
(18:12):
So I'm now going to make it as efficient as
possible for the.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Taxpayer, right O.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
David Seymour, thank you very much for your time. Yep,
some of those kids need to go back to the
boarding school I went to in the seventies that would
harden them up. A weeb it they'd learned to eat
what's in front of them and a crappy lunch. Let's
face it is a lot better than no lunch at all,
which is what some of those kids were facing up. Next,
we're going to look at that world record. It was
(18:36):
all happening in the Wakatipo basein over the weekend. We
had the Motor tarp who run Jane Smith, one of
our correspondents, did that finished at first marathon. We had
the New Zealand Golf Open with the Biki who'd been
in jail winning that. What a great story that was.
And the high lux record in Kingston nearly fifteen hundred
(18:56):
highluxes in one time in one place one time. Laura
Coot up next on the country, so we caught up
with the on Thursday show ahead of the world record
attempt at Kingston, the most Toyota highluxes in one place
(19:20):
at one time. We said we would catch up with
her again today to see how it went. And Laura
Coot from Real Country Farm, you said, a world record.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Well done.
Speaker 7 (19:31):
We almost tripled the existing world record, and when the
official numbers are finally tallied, I wouldn't be surprised if
we reached my fifteen hundred prediction. The GDWD Highlights world
record could not have been more successful. What a day
to be a part of Jamie.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
So people came from the far north to go all
the way to Kingston, which is that at the bottom
of Lake Wakatipu down the road are from Queenstown. I
could understand why High Luck's owners would come from Otargo
and see Euthland a great sunday cruise, a bit of
a day out, beautiful day, beautiful climate. But gee, you've
created a bit of a monster here. How are you
going to follow this up?
Speaker 7 (20:09):
I don't know that it's anything that G. Doubs and
I have created. I think the community has done that
all by themselves, because all we did is set a
place and time, and the High Lux community just was
needing this and wanting it, and the passion and the
dedication and the community minded this, the attitudes that I
(20:30):
just could not get over. How many great humans were
there yesterday, thousands of great humans all there for such
a great cause and event, and big big thanks to
GWd tied in New Zealand and their local community because
the volunteers were outstanding to create such a day for
all evisitors.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Did you create a traffic jam?
Speaker 7 (20:53):
There definitely was congestion on the highway for a short
amount of time until we ripped open the fence and
until I got out of the bloody way and stopped
talking to every driver as they came in, because I
wanted to shake as many hands and think as many
people as possible, because without the attendance of the highlux owners,
it just would not have been the event that it was.
(21:13):
So there was a little bit of congestion, there was
a little bit of line waiting to register, but everyone
had smiles on their faces. We had all our volunteers,
my dad included walking up and down the lines with
sausage sizzles, basically selling the pants off sausages and meat patties,
and it was just an incredible vibe. And I tell
you that many thousands of people descending on a farm
(21:37):
the respect showing there's not a bit of litter on
the farm today. It just goes to show the caliber
of people that we had here yesterday.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
And it was a huge weekend for the walkers who
based and of course you had the New Zealand Golf
Open at Millbrook, the Motorcar Poo Marathon, so there were
a lot of people in the area. One of the
real celebrities was a ninety three year old from Gore
by the name of Alex King, who was a mater
Barry Crumps and we all remember fondly. In fact, there's
(22:06):
no good TV commercials on these days. Lord, no one
watches commercials on TV anymore. But the Toyota ads with
Barry Crump and Scotty in the eighties and even the
Bugger ad with the dog were.
Speaker 7 (22:19):
Brilliant, absolutely outstanding. And Alex actually called me off the
landline a few weeks ago, and I was laughing to
myself because I said to people still have landlines these days,
and several mus called one evening, I called him back
and we talked for about half an hour. His stories
that he had about his time with Barry, and you know,
(22:40):
some of the things that Barry got up to were
just fantastic. And he over the phone told me how
Barry became the toyout in New Zealand ambassador for highluxes
and long story short, it was a cold phone call
to a manager of Toyota saying you need me to
be your ambassador, and he wanted a free truck and
you know, he threw Barry Crump style ended up getting
(23:01):
it and I just said, Alex, we need to get
you to this event. So GWd and Gore gave him
a high luks, spoke with his family and we got
him here. And he was the real celebrity on the
day yesterday because he sat up on the curtain sider.
A lot of people came to shake his hand and
have a good yarn and his stories were just fantastic.
It really set the time. There were a lot of
(23:23):
Barry Crump fans and the audience they still.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Are right nearly fifteen hundred Toyota High Luck shoots in
one place at one time and at Kingston yesterday, Laura Coop,
well done to all your team and your local community.
And I know you had a big barbie to finish
it all with the Garston Dog Troll Club. So that
is rural New Zealand at its very best.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Well done.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
I'm looking forward to seeing what you're going to do
for your next trick.
Speaker 7 (23:47):
We'll take a little bit of time out, I think,
and reconvene, but CDWD and I I'm sure will come
up with another amazing community event next year. But give
us twelve months to recover.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
From this one. Well, you've earned a bit of a break.
Laura Coop done.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Just before we go to a Rural news with Michelle
and Sports News, We've got a great promo this week
on the show, how would you fancy a few days
in Wellington? All you've got and this is to go
to the Horta Culture New Zealand Conference. So it's taking
place in August in Wellington. We could be sending you
in a friend for two days of insights, networking and
(24:24):
industry innovation. I think best you enter this one if
you've got an interest in horticulture. So just head to
our website the Country dot co dot in z to
be and to win the tickets for two to the
two day conference, the gala dinner plus here's the good
But we're throwing in flights and accommodation to get you
from where you are anywhere around the country to Wellington.
(24:45):
So our website's the Country dot co dot in z
if you want to go to that horta Culture New
Zealand and your conference happening in Wellington in August. I
can't believe that this song was voted one of the
worst songs of the no Michelle shaking your head as well.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
It's not that bad. It was gimmicky.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
It wasn't one of the worst songs of the eighties
rolling Stone Magazine. Maybe there are being a weebit snobby.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Rural News next.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
We've got all your life in mind.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Welcome back to the country. It is brought to you
by Brand. My name's Jamie McKay Shorty Michelle Watt with
the latest and rural news. We'll have a look at
sports news for you as well. Now here's one that
might interest you. Growers and suppliers out there. If you're
a supplier to the big supermarkets or a wholesale customer,
you may well be reluctant to take them on if
you have a dispute or feel you're being treated unfairly.
(25:44):
That's why you need to know about the Grocery Dispute
Resolution Scheme. The scheme enables you to access quick cost
effective private and confidential resolution of disputes you may have
with the regulated grocery retailers up to the value of
five million dollars. They offer private and partial mediation or adjudication.
(26:05):
The Grocery Dispute Resolution Scheme is administered independently by the
New Zealand Dispute Resolution Center. To find out more, visit
Grocerydispute dot co dot NZ or freephone write this one
down free phone five eight dispute that's five eight three
four double seven double eight three, or you can send
(26:28):
an email to register at n Z d RC dot
co dot NZ YEP twenty away from one. Michelle's in
here for rural news.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
I think this one. The Rolling Stone Magazine's probably right
with this one. What do you reckon?
Speaker 8 (26:47):
I like this song?
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Do you not like every song? You're from? Bell Clother?
Speaker 2 (26:50):
I shouldn't say that.
Speaker 8 (26:53):
Everyone from that clo No.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
I love Bell Clother. Great town. Not a bloody good
rugby but Jamie s no no no.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Honestly, per capita, more good rugby players came out of
South Otago than literally anywhere in the country.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Here's the lightest on rural news.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
The country's world news with cob Cadet New Zealand's leading
right on lawn bower brand. Visit steel for dot Co
dot inset for your local stockist.
Speaker 8 (27:20):
The government has agreed to invest in aquaculture investments. It
will put around eleven point seven million dollars over five
years to increase production and drive up exports of salmon.
It's estimating the extra support will create an extra five
hundred million dollars of exports by twenty thirty five. Agricultural
Minister Todd maclay says the project will drive innovation, get
(27:41):
better return for product and produce and high paying jobs.
And that's rural news. You can find more at the
Country dot co dot inset.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Sport with AFCO Kiwi to the Bone. Since nineteen oh four.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
The Blacksticks women have won Hockey's Nations Cup and Chili
have big Niland four to the penalty shootout after the
final was locked at one all after normal time. Hailey
Jensen has been ruled out of the White Fins ODIIS
series against Sri Lanka starting tomorrow with a hip flexer injury.
(28:14):
Fran Jonas has been called up in her place, and
Warriors CEO Cameron George has spoken to the NRL's integrity
unit this morning over allegations leveled at assistant coachs coach
Richard Agar who grabs someone by the throat in the
press box. I'd be more worried about how the warrior
(28:34):
has played than the assistant coach grabbing some journo by
the neck. Anyhow, we're going to take a break on
the other side of it. Craig Ferguson, he hates being
called Craig ferg former Junior All Black himself, actually ten
years of commentating at the rural games. He's up next.
(29:05):
According to the Rolling Stone magazine, one of the ten
worst songs from the nineteen eighties. Our next guest is
I've got to say his first name, Craigie doesn't answer
to that. Ferg Ferguson out of Queenstown, former Junior All Black,
great sports commentator, great bloke, hot jock until very recently.
(29:25):
Fergie would have you know this song named the song
and the artist for ten points.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
Well, I was sitting there on hole Jamie, and I
was trying to listen to the music. I couldn't hear,
couldn't hear the things. I have no idea.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Okay, what can you can you hear this. No, I
don't know what's going on. It was the one hit
wondered by a guy by the name of or a
Falco rock me Armadaeus.
Speaker 9 (29:51):
Ah.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Yeah, any hey, ten years this year or the end
of this week marks ten years of Rural Games. You
and I there on day one in Queenstown, your home
patch when Steve Hollander, founder and trustee bought the Rural
Games to Queenstown. It was a great venue too. They're
in Palmerston North. Now, those were a magical days. What
(30:14):
are your memories from those early days of the Rural Games.
Speaker 9 (30:18):
I think my earliest memory was this guy called Steve
Hollander bursting through the studio door the Queenston who I
had no idea who he was. He just announced himself.
I said, what do you want? And he explained about
the Rural Games concept that was coming to Queenstown and
he wanted me to be part of the commentary team
and amongst you and Wiggy at that point. And I
think I think former All Black halfback Justin Marshall might
(30:39):
have had a wee role to play that year as well.
But yeah, it was Steve bursting into the studio and
introducing himself and away we went from there. You know,
two years in Queenstain you talk about the magnificent venue
at the rec round. Was being a local you know
at the time when Year one was in Queenstown at
the rec ground, I thought, oh, I don't know about
post hall borers the likes of going into the hallowed
(31:01):
turf at the Red Ground. But they got away with it.
We had two great years there before we moved on
to the magnificent venue of the Square and Parmesan North.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Steve Holland is a force of nature. That's a kind
way to describe Steve. But he sent me my first job.
I got banished to the far end of the Queenstown
Recreation Ground there where you played a lot of footy.
Ferg to commentate the tree climbing and I thought, Jesus
will be as boring as batship. I shouldn't have said that.
(31:30):
It was fantastic and I stuck with that job and
I loved it because you get to commentate on the
arborous doing their job. I had no idea what tree
climbing was all about, and it's probably a bit like that.
When you got allocated the coal shoveling.
Speaker 9 (31:46):
Yeah, well coal shoveling was the first one up for
me and a couple of real coasters in Brian Coglin
whose dad sadly passed away, and the strongman Minders asked
of many decades ago, and Richie Banks, father of Marty
Banks who who now run it up in Parmison North.
They make the trip up. But I got to the
coal shoveling and thought what the heck goes on here?
But it was a very quick education with Toggan and
(32:08):
Richie and others that were there in that first year,
and that's become one of the highlights. I like that
tagline that Steve uses during the games. You know, sports
that build a nation, and we know that there's you know,
Cole's got its stigma around the country and probably a
bit of a resurgence at the moment through Minister Jones.
But it's great that there's a platform for coal shoveling
of all things, to be showcased in Parmerston North and
(32:31):
it's always a crowd favorite.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
My favorite the tree climbing and the dog trolls were
my favorite ones that I got to commentate. Always wanted
to do the speed shares, but Wiggy cut my lunch
on that one. I know you loved the Highland Heavies,
the Highland Games.
Speaker 9 (32:48):
Yeah, the big boys when they come out to play,
and that's always a bit of a highlight and I
guess that's probably one of the favorite ones for me,
Big Luke Reynold and don't know with the big Aussies
coming back, but I think it was Andrew Millard from
cold Onnger who took it out last year, and Craig
Manson from Ashburton. John McFarland, the local pastor from Palmi
North who takes part as well. But that's always a
(33:10):
classic event. You got of the cave toss. You've got
the weight over the bar where they it's a bit
like a high jump, but you've got a bit this
twenty five kilogram weight, throw it over the back or
over your shoulder and up over the bar. And then
of course the stones to the barrel, where you've got
five stones to pick up at the base of a
wine barrel, stick them on the top and they range
from around ninety odd kilos to one hundred and fifty
(33:32):
six at the end of it all, and that's a
staggering event. That brings Parmes to North, the Square to
its feet absolutely.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Of course, the Rural Games will be on Friday, Saturday
and Sunday in the Square and Palmeston North magnificent venue,
as is the Country coming to town and you know,
Palmeston North is a real farming town along with Fielding
just up the road. But before that or on the
Friday evening at the magnificent Awa Perni Function Center, we
(34:00):
have the Rural Sports Awards. You're going to be MC
along with Rowena Duncan here from the Country and of
course Craig Wiggy Wiggins. It's a fantastic night and I think,
in true Steve Hollander fashion, he's managed to get another
three tables in there because it's a sell out every year.
You got to love Steve, and we've got three.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Tables left to buy.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
And honestly, I've been to a lot of these sort
of awards functions over the years and I'd have to say,
and I don't even know the name of the catering
company therg, but whoever caters for that dinner in Palmerston
North on Friday night are the best caterers I've ever seen.
Speaker 9 (34:39):
Yeah, you're right, there. Jamie's a magnificent night and the
caterers do a fantastic job. And I mean Steve gets
a magnificent lineup of local politicians and members of parliament.
I think even the Sports Minister Mitchell's going to be
there this weekend and guest speakers Suwayne Smith and Tim
Sowby and Dylan Smith, the Olympic trampolinist and Cameron He's
(35:00):
going to be down a whole host of others. It's
probably one of the best sporting nights outside of the
halburg S, that not better than the Helberg's. Can I
say that outside of the Halburgs in the country.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Yeah, absolutely fantastic. All right, Wiggy, thank you very Wiggy.
Try got Wiggy on the brain. I still see. I
gave up trying to get the gig for the speed sharing,
but he does an excellent job there as well. You
enjoy your weekend and Parmi North, how could you not?
Speaker 9 (35:28):
Yeah, we'll do mate.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Thank you, Good on you.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
And good on you for being there for ten years
for the rural Games. Craig ferg Ferguson out of Queen's
down there no time to waste its time for Monday's
Weekly Rain Dance with Phil Duncan. Next, wrapping the country
(35:51):
for a Monday with Monday's Weekly rain Dance. Phil Duncan
from weather Watch. Let's get straight into it, Phil, More
and more of the North Island is now being declared
as drought.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
What do you got for them?
Speaker 6 (36:03):
Yeah, So, basically we did see some rain relief come
into those areas around King Country Taranaki by Tomo in
the last couple of weeks. Wasn't a huge amount. It
was just enough to kind of reduce that drought jumps
back to the next level, which is extremely dry. You know,
same thing basically splitting heres, but there's a technical difference.
We're now seeing that dry extend further up into the
(36:24):
western side of Northland around Hokianga Harbor to the northern
side of that western side of Northland very dry. Auckland's
catching up Waikato as too, So we need rain. There's
a little bit coming tomorrow. It's probably not enough to
make any big difference to those dry areas, but it
will be welcomed, but it may not be much.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
And the dry is starting to creep into the South Island,
southern South Island too.
Speaker 6 (36:47):
Yeah, what we found is that in the last couple
of weeks, the rain that came into the North Island
reduced the drought area, made it smaller, but it made
all the other areas get slightly dry, and so we've
sort of seen the lower level. It's on that draft index,
you know, it's just got dry, very dry, extremely dry.
Those different categories are being filled up more and more
across New Zealand. The rain that's coming in over the
(37:08):
next twenty four hours or so mostly eastern driven, so
it'll help out Canterbury and Hawk's Bay and Waited Upper
and Gismon in those areas more than it will the
western side of the country.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Okay, Phil, Well that's I can't shet the messenger. We
just need a bit of a change in the weather pattern.
But thank you very much as always for your time.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
Mate.
Speaker 6 (37:28):
You are very welcome. Enjoy the high pressure on the way.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
There we go, Phil Duncan there, it is almost wrapping
the show, just following on from my yarn with ferg there,
who will be one of the EMC's at the Rural
Sports Awards in Palmei North at the magnificent Awa Perni
Function Center on Friday, night. There are three tables left.
It is a sellout. They have like five or six
(37:53):
hundred people there. It is the rural Halberg's and as
Ferg said, you've got Sirwayne Smith speaking Tim so what
a great rural connection he's got, and many others. It's
going to be a great night out. Drop me an
email Jamie at the Country dot co dot in z
and I'll forward you on to Steve.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
We'll catch you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent. You're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.
Catch all the latest from the Land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McGue Thanks to Brent. You're specialist in
John Deere machinery.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Here. Welcome to the Country. All sorts of fun and
games on the phone. Hello Tower, Have I got you?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Yeah, yeah, I have.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
So we're just trying to get Toyer Henderson, the winner
of the Open Shares or of the Open title at
the Golden shears off bluetooth and just hold the phone
to his ear the old fashioned way so we can
have a y. What a great story. This guy's got
just what to gets himself sorted. Also on the show today,
David Seymour on whether we should be in or out
(00:51):
of the Paris Accord, Laura Cooter world record for highluxes
in one place at one time in Kingston yesterday, Craig
for Gison reflecting on ten years of the Rural Games,
and Phil Duncan it's our weekly rain dance here on
the Country. But hopefully to Henderson, we've got you somewhere
between Masterton and your home in Northland. Good afternoon, congratulations
(01:15):
on that big title. And Marstenden on Saturday Night.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Thanks Seamie, I appreciate it mate.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Yeah, well, I.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Was very pleased for you because you were a hot
favorite heading in there last year. You had won everything
leading up to the Golden Shares and Leon Samuel got
there in the end, which was great for him. Love
a Southland shearer doing well. But it's great to see
a Northland sharer doing well. And I don't think i'd
be exaggerating things taller to say that probably no one
(01:44):
has driven more miles to win an open title at
the Golden Shares than you.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
What do you reckon? Nah?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
I yeah, yeah, I pretty much put in the miles
every weekend, a mate. But you know you've got to
do You've got to do the Casus year, you know,
if you want to attrieve your dreams.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, well this has been your dream. You're now thirty
four years of age, so you're not a You're not
You're far from a novice. You've been close, you've been
there or thereabouts. You've been, as I said, the dominant
sharer around the shows for the past few seasons. It
must be good to get this one off your back,
get the monkey off your back.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Hey, you're right there. Yeah, it's been a long time coming.
Just yeah, I've heard something about the golden years that
I could never do, you know, do what I wanted
to do there. But this year it or you know,
it all sort of switchbox and yeah, I'll come away
with the I'll come away with the big one, which
(02:42):
is what we.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Wanted absolutely, I suppose in a way. I mean, there's
so many good sharers vying for this, but Leon Samuels
last or the reigning champ, Rolling Smith Smith eight times
one or four times winter John Kirkpatrick and Gavin Much
are also a four winner. They were eliminated in the
quarters and the semi finals. But you still had a
(03:05):
very strong field to deal with, including the likes of
let's have a look Angus Angus Moore, David Buick, the
local favorite. There were three Southland sharers in there as well.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Yeah, there was a big field everyone. I give credit
to everyone that made that final. You know, it's a
big journey, you know, coming from ninety one sharers down
to thirty and then from thirty to twelve, you know,
and then you've got to make that top six. But
once I made the top six, there was pretty much
(03:42):
you know, I was too close to achieving what I
wanted to do and I let it all go on
Saturday night and and I was having for the best.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well, and you got the best. You were first off
the board, your twenty sheep and sixteen minutes and sixteen
seconds you won by two point one three points. To
most people, that doesn't mean much, but by Golden Shares standards,
Toy Henderson, that's a pretty clear win.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Yeah, it was a big win. I knew David would
be right behind me, and so my opinion was going
into it was just to put the pressure on the boys.
You know, if David Fagan always told me there's one
thing that just can't take away and next time, so
I tried to put the time on them. I knew
David was there, and I was just I was just
(04:30):
I was just grateful that, you know, I was keeping
my job, and you know, I probably could have saw
them a bit faster, but at the end of the day,
I wanted to come away with that trophy and that's
exactly what we did.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
You're notorious.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
And I'm quoting Doug Lang here, who does such a
great job as the pr guy for Sharing end Z,
and he's saying, you're notorious for your many trips from
your Kaiwaker home in Northland. There excursions of six to
seven hours each way to enter a ser in competition
and driving home that night along, often sharing the wheel
(05:06):
with your father Mike.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So Mike must be very proud of you.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yeah, the old man. He couldn't be more wrapped. You know,
it's been me and him, do you know, we're always
in the car together and we go down you know,
we do these we do these finals and you know
when we come away, you know we mightn't come away
with the result, but every every every trip we make,
(05:31):
you know, we've got seven hours to sort out where
I went wrong and what I've got to do better
next time, and you know, just yeah, we just come
away with it on Saturday night, and you know, for
me and my family it's such a big achievement. And
that's always what I've wanted to do, was actually to
hold the Golden Shares trophy and then bring it back
(05:51):
to Calker.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Well, I guess there's just maybe one of the well
the New Zealand Shares Us and take a weddy in
early April you'll be you'll be lining up for that
one as well. But next year at marsterd and we've
got the World Sharing Champs. That's got to be in
your sites as well.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yeah, that's been a big goal of mine, a always
to represent our country. You know, just like any athlete
on in New Zealand, we all want to wear that's
awfurn on our chest. And you know if I if
we get the chance, if I get the chance to
do it, I'll be you know, I'll be so proud
and I know I'll be representing New Zealand to the
(06:28):
best and to the best of my limit and my ability.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Well in that big Open final, first you were first placed,
David Berwick, the local favorite, second place, Casey Bailey, runner
up at the Golden Shares Open Final last year from
Riverton in Southland, he was third. Angus More out of
Marlborough was fourth. Nathan Stratford, what a legend he is fifth.
That's his twelfth Open final and Brett Roberts's first Open final.
(06:54):
Good young lad from Matara down on Southland as well,
So we had, as I said, three Southland sharer in
that Open final. Tyer Henderson, congratulations on please you've got
the monkey off your back. Onwards and upwards from here
and thank you for taking time to chat to me
because I know you spent half your life on the
road driving to sharing competitions. So well done. They can
(07:14):
never take that one away from you.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Oh thanks man, I appreciate the core and yeah, anything
to do our country better with our sharing.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Career, good on you. There you go.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
What a magnificent effort it was from Taler Henderson. In fact,
all the competitors, they had record numbers of entries at
masterd and over the weekend for the novice and junior sections. Also,
I've got to do a shout out to Joel Henray.
I think he won this eleventh title in the wall
(07:45):
handling up against a tough field as well, So well
done to Joel Henray.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
We'll have all the results.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
You can find all the results on our website. So
that was the Golden Shares. Lots of other things happening
over the weekend. We're going to catch up on this.
By the way, is great Bowie song from the eighties
called Modern Love. I thought i'd throw it in there
because last night I didn't get dragged along. I was
quite keen to go along and see the latest Bridget
(08:13):
Jones movie. I'd give it a five or six with
a tail wind to be perfectly honest, but this is
This is on the soundtrack for the movie, so yeah,
it's worth a lot. But I think the first Bridget
Jones was the best Bridget Jones. Up next on the Country,
(08:34):
we are going to be chatting to David Seymour. Should
we stay in the Paris Accord. That's one of the
questions we're going to throw at him next. And as
he'd bitten off more than he can chew metaphorically of course,
with the school lunch program, all that and heaps of
other stuff between now and one on the Country.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yes, Rick Assley.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
According to Rolling Stone magazine, this is one of the
ten worst songs from the nineteen eighties. I reckon Rick
Astley is a bit of a doppelganger for our next
guest on the Country, David Seymour, soon to be Deputy
Prime Minister, act Party leader. But David, this piece of
(09:37):
wit by me has completely wasted on you because you
don't know who Rick Astley is.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Good afternoon, Mace, Good afternoon.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
I wasn't memorizing saying me in the eighties are still
being born, but I do recognize that song and just
feel sorry for the guy.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
At least he.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
May not have had great looks. If he's my doppel ganger,
but at least he could sing unlike me.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Now, should we opt out of the Paris Agreement? I
sent you a text last week before I was chatting
to Winston, just to get your view on them. This
is what you came back with.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Not yet.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
At some point, though, enough of our trading partners will
tip to the point where the cost of being in
is greater than the punishment for leaving. But I don't
think we're there yet. That is a quote from you.
Do you stick by that?
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Yeah? Absolutely. I was just as you were raising the topic,
I was thinking what would I say, and then you
read out exactly what I was going to say. They
are great news about being consistent in telling their lies,
as you don't have to remember anything fair enough?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Will it be, as Shane Jones eloquently pointed out last
week on the show, will it be every man for
himself leading into the election next year Because the NATS
want us to stay in, Winston and Shane want us out,
and you're saying, look, eventually we're probably going to have
to get out.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Well, I think everyone in the government is ultimately here
for in New Zealand, and I think that they will
want to evaluate what is the calculus. It's also true
that sometimes these things aren't a zero some game. You
can bring new ideas to the table. And one idea
that I was discussing with Mark Cameron and Andrew Hoggard
(11:22):
a couple of weeks back when this first became an
issue was the idea that we should be looking to
renegotiate on methane and we should start by forming an
alliance of like minded countries that are equally exposed to methane.
Uruguay is actually an ally who knew, but actually most
of South America has a lot, has a lot of
(11:44):
bovines and maybe the odd sheep that are omitting a
lot of methane and they're getting punished for it. Then
you go through Southeast Asia and you see how much
a mission there is actually from rice, actually more than
from bovines. And I think we should be starting to
put a viewers out to a friend around the world
and say we need a methane alliance so that we
(12:07):
can get a better deal for countries like ours. Instead
of the bureaucracy going overseas and coming back to represent
these international organizations to new Zealanders. Maybe they could start
representing the hopes and dreams of New Zealanders to these
international organizations.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
You're kind of the Elon Musk of New Zealand politics.
He was set to cut all the red tape and
regulation out of the US Civil Service. If you call
it that, I don't know what they call it over there.
You've been given the same job here as regulation minister,
and you've started, you've started merrily into your work. You've
(12:45):
cut quite a bit of red tape for farmers.
Speaker 6 (12:48):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
Look, it's a real shame that if you want to
get inhibit as hervisides animal medicines test, it can take
up to five and a half years to get a consent. Now,
that's not going to work for New Zealand because even
(13:10):
though we are mighty, we are still relatively small. So
for example, our apples may be fantastic, but only zero
point six percent of the world's apples are produced in
New Zealand. Now, as the EU starts to change its approach,
they want softer chemicals, new products. The longer it takes
(13:31):
for us to switch products and change it and get
consent for new products, the further behind we get and
we put our market access at risks. So what the
Ministry for Regulations done has gone out done a pretty
sharp review that've listened to eighty different groups, taken fifty submissions,
often quite detailed and technical, and they've come up with
an action plan for both the EPA and Animal Compounds
(13:56):
in Veterinary Medicine Department at MPI. First of all, for
them to work together, because that's one of the big problems.
Second of all, to have a stakeholder group that is
there to represent the interests of those people actually trying
to import products, and finally to set some targets for
getting the weightless down. All of this is designed to
(14:18):
make sure that New Zealand farmers, New Zealand horticulturalists can
get access to the best products in the world, faster
and really excited. It's the first of these sector of
views that the Ministry for Regulations done and I think
that as small of the roll out we're.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Going to get along one good on you for cutting
red tape. A couple to quickly finish on where do
you sit or where does the act party sits on
a four year term for Parliament? Could we, for instance,
have a referendum in the next general election twenty twenty
six around this one, it would seem would make good
sense to me to put a government in for four years.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Well, I go to first of all, concede. I recognize
I'm probably on a high adding to nothing the behavior
of politicians around the world and even in New Zealand.
Sometimes for a politician to say just trust us for
another year is probably going to land on deaf ears
or even be resented by many voters. And I get that,
(15:16):
but I fully support it because I honestly believe that
moving to a four year term will mean that we
get slower, more intelligent, thoughtful debate and lawmaking, and ultimately
less of the flip flopping and chopping and changing that
just makes this a damn hard place to do business.
So you know what I'd say to people, as I know,
(15:38):
am not hiding to nothing, but please have a look
at what we're proposing, and in particular what the government's
proposing is actually initially, at least based on my old
members Bill, it says that we'll only get a four
year term if the select committees are independent and controlled
by the opposition to get extra scrutiny. So we're going
(16:00):
to give politicians the extra year. And I say politicians
because this is a long term thing. This is probably
you won't really be in effect till after I'm gone.
But you know, if we're going to go to a
four year term, we'll also get more scrutiny off the
government by select command.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Okay, really quickly to finish on have you bitten off
more than you can chew?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Metaphorically? Of course, when it.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Comes to the reform of your school lunch is clear
Trevett one of my favorite writers in the Herald, even
though she's gone unfortunately or will go. She writes, governments
can live or die by an accumulation of small failings,
and the issue of school lunches has started to be
devil this government. Imagine if you bring down the coalition
(16:46):
because he has school lunches.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
David Seymour, Well, that does take a lot of imagination.
I mean a couple of things. One is, we're saving
one hundred and seventy million bucks. So if people want
to save money and actually has step in lower taxes,
you have to be prepared to do things like this.
Second of all, it started off with some real problems.
(17:08):
We had on one day, in one city, only eleven
percent of the meals were delivered on time and full.
Now we're hitting one hundred percent basically where basically every day.
There's a few places that are ninety seven or ninety
eight percent some days, but for the most part it's
one hundred percent delivery in full on time. Then there's
people complaining about the quality. There's some issues there, and
(17:30):
just as we fix the on time delivery, we will
fix those two and at the end of the day,
we'll be able to point to many kids who are
writing in principles, who are writing in saying, look, actually,
this is better than what we had last year. There'll
be people who want to make a big political issue
out of it, but at the end of the day,
we're going to get as good, in many cases better
(17:51):
lunches than last year at half the cost. And that's
actually the kind of thing the government needs to do.
I just acknowledged the other seventy five percent of parents
who were sending their kids to school with lunch. They
campaigned against ephen having this policy, but in a political
twist of phase, I ended up in charge of it.
(18:12):
So I'm now going to make it as efficient as
possible for the.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Taxpayer, right O.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
David Seymour, thank you very much for your time. Yep,
some of those kids need to go back to the
boarding school I went to in the seventies that would
harden them up. A weeb it they'd learned to eat
what's in front of them and a crappy lunch. Let's
face it is a lot better than no lunch at all,
which is what some of those kids were facing up. Next,
we're going to look at that world record. It was
(18:36):
all happening in the Wakatipo basein over the weekend. We
had the Motor tarp who run Jane Smith, one of
our correspondents, did that finished at first marathon. We had
the New Zealand Golf Open with the Biki who'd been
in jail winning that. What a great story that was.
And the high lux record in Kingston nearly fifteen hundred
(18:56):
highluxes in one time in one place one time. Laura
Coot up next on the country, so we caught up
with the on Thursday show ahead of the world record
attempt at Kingston, the most Toyota highluxes in one place
(19:20):
at one time. We said we would catch up with
her again today to see how it went. And Laura
Coot from Real Country Farm, you said, a world record.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Well done.
Speaker 7 (19:31):
We almost tripled the existing world record, and when the
official numbers are finally tallied, I wouldn't be surprised if
we reached my fifteen hundred prediction. The GDWD Highlights world
record could not have been more successful. What a day
to be a part of Jamie.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
So people came from the far north to go all
the way to Kingston, which is that at the bottom
of Lake Wakatipu down the road are from Queenstown. I
could understand why High Luck's owners would come from Otargo
and see Euthland a great sunday cruise, a bit of
a day out, beautiful day, beautiful climate. But gee, you've
created a bit of a monster here. How are you
going to follow this up?
Speaker 7 (20:09):
I don't know that it's anything that G. Doubs and
I have created. I think the community has done that
all by themselves, because all we did is set a
place and time, and the High Lux community just was
needing this and wanting it, and the passion and the
dedication and the community minded this, the attitudes that I
(20:30):
just could not get over. How many great humans were
there yesterday, thousands of great humans all there for such
a great cause and event, and big big thanks to
GWd tied in New Zealand and their local community because
the volunteers were outstanding to create such a day for
all evisitors.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Did you create a traffic jam?
Speaker 7 (20:53):
There definitely was congestion on the highway for a short
amount of time until we ripped open the fence and
until I got out of the bloody way and stopped
talking to every driver as they came in, because I
wanted to shake as many hands and think as many
people as possible, because without the attendance of the highlux owners,
it just would not have been the event that it was.
(21:13):
So there was a little bit of congestion, there was
a little bit of line waiting to register, but everyone
had smiles on their faces. We had all our volunteers,
my dad included walking up and down the lines with
sausage sizzles, basically selling the pants off sausages and meat patties,
and it was just an incredible vibe. And I tell
you that many thousands of people descending on a farm
(21:37):
the respect showing there's not a bit of litter on
the farm today. It just goes to show the caliber
of people that we had here yesterday.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
And it was a huge weekend for the walkers who
based and of course you had the New Zealand Golf
Open at Millbrook, the Motorcar Poo Marathon, so there were
a lot of people in the area. One of the
real celebrities was a ninety three year old from Gore
by the name of Alex King, who was a mater
Barry Crumps and we all remember fondly. In fact, there's
(22:06):
no good TV commercials on these days. Lord, no one
watches commercials on TV anymore. But the Toyota ads with
Barry Crump and Scotty in the eighties and even the
Bugger ad with the dog were.
Speaker 7 (22:19):
Brilliant, absolutely outstanding. And Alex actually called me off the
landline a few weeks ago, and I was laughing to
myself because I said to people still have landlines these days,
and several mus called one evening, I called him back
and we talked for about half an hour. His stories
that he had about his time with Barry, and you know,
(22:40):
some of the things that Barry got up to were
just fantastic. And he over the phone told me how
Barry became the toyout in New Zealand ambassador for highluxes
and long story short, it was a cold phone call
to a manager of Toyota saying you need me to
be your ambassador, and he wanted a free truck and
you know, he threw Barry Crump style ended up getting
(23:01):
it and I just said, Alex, we need to get
you to this event. So GWd and Gore gave him
a high luks, spoke with his family and we got
him here. And he was the real celebrity on the
day yesterday because he sat up on the curtain sider.
A lot of people came to shake his hand and
have a good yarn and his stories were just fantastic.
It really set the time. There were a lot of
(23:23):
Barry Crump fans and the audience they still.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Are right nearly fifteen hundred Toyota High Luck shoots in
one place at one time and at Kingston yesterday, Laura Coop,
well done to all your team and your local community.
And I know you had a big barbie to finish
it all with the Garston Dog Troll Club. So that
is rural New Zealand at its very best.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Well done.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
I'm looking forward to seeing what you're going to do
for your next trick.
Speaker 7 (23:47):
We'll take a little bit of time out, I think,
and reconvene, but CDWD and I I'm sure will come
up with another amazing community event next year. But give
us twelve months to recover.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
From this one. Well, you've earned a bit of a break.
Laura Coop done.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Just before we go to a Rural news with Michelle
and Sports News, We've got a great promo this week
on the show, how would you fancy a few days
in Wellington? All you've got and this is to go
to the Horta Culture New Zealand Conference. So it's taking
place in August in Wellington. We could be sending you
in a friend for two days of insights, networking and
(24:24):
industry innovation. I think best you enter this one if
you've got an interest in horticulture. So just head to
our website the Country dot co dot in z to
be and to win the tickets for two to the
two day conference, the gala dinner plus here's the good
But we're throwing in flights and accommodation to get you
from where you are anywhere around the country to Wellington.
(24:45):
So our website's the Country dot co dot in z
if you want to go to that horta Culture New
Zealand and your conference happening in Wellington in August. I
can't believe that this song was voted one of the
worst songs of the no Michelle shaking your head as well.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
It's not that bad. It was gimmicky.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
It wasn't one of the worst songs of the eighties
rolling Stone Magazine. Maybe there are being a weebit snobby.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Rural News next.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
We've got all your life in mind.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Welcome back to the country. It is brought to you
by Brand. My name's Jamie McKay Shorty Michelle Watt with
the latest and rural news. We'll have a look at
sports news for you as well. Now here's one that
might interest you. Growers and suppliers out there. If you're
a supplier to the big supermarkets or a wholesale customer,
you may well be reluctant to take them on if
you have a dispute or feel you're being treated unfairly.
(25:44):
That's why you need to know about the Grocery Dispute
Resolution Scheme. The scheme enables you to access quick cost
effective private and confidential resolution of disputes you may have
with the regulated grocery retailers up to the value of
five million dollars. They offer private and partial mediation or adjudication.
(26:05):
The Grocery Dispute Resolution Scheme is administered independently by the
New Zealand Dispute Resolution Center. To find out more, visit
Grocerydispute dot co dot NZ or freephone write this one
down free phone five eight dispute that's five eight three
four double seven double eight three, or you can send
(26:28):
an email to register at n Z d RC dot
co dot NZ YEP twenty away from one. Michelle's in
here for rural news.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
I think this one. The Rolling Stone Magazine's probably right
with this one. What do you reckon?
Speaker 8 (26:47):
I like this song?
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Do you not like every song? You're from? Bell Clother?
Speaker 2 (26:50):
I shouldn't say that.
Speaker 8 (26:53):
Everyone from that clo No.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
I love Bell Clother. Great town. Not a bloody good
rugby but Jamie s no no no.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Honestly, per capita, more good rugby players came out of
South Otago than literally anywhere in the country.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Here's the lightest on rural news.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
The country's world news with cob Cadet New Zealand's leading
right on lawn bower brand. Visit steel for dot Co
dot inset for your local stockist.
Speaker 8 (27:20):
The government has agreed to invest in aquaculture investments. It
will put around eleven point seven million dollars over five
years to increase production and drive up exports of salmon.
It's estimating the extra support will create an extra five
hundred million dollars of exports by twenty thirty five. Agricultural
Minister Todd maclay says the project will drive innovation, get
(27:41):
better return for product and produce and high paying jobs.
And that's rural news. You can find more at the
Country dot co dot inset.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Sport with AFCO Kiwi to the Bone. Since nineteen oh four.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
The Blacksticks women have won Hockey's Nations Cup and Chili
have big Niland four to the penalty shootout after the
final was locked at one all after normal time. Hailey
Jensen has been ruled out of the White Fins ODIIS
series against Sri Lanka starting tomorrow with a hip flexer injury.
(28:14):
Fran Jonas has been called up in her place, and
Warriors CEO Cameron George has spoken to the NRL's integrity
unit this morning over allegations leveled at assistant coachs coach
Richard Agar who grabs someone by the throat in the
press box. I'd be more worried about how the warrior
(28:34):
has played than the assistant coach grabbing some journo by
the neck. Anyhow, we're going to take a break on
the other side of it. Craig Ferguson, he hates being
called Craig ferg former Junior All Black himself, actually ten
years of commentating at the rural games. He's up next.
(29:05):
According to the Rolling Stone magazine, one of the ten
worst songs from the nineteen eighties. Our next guest is
I've got to say his first name, Craigie doesn't answer
to that. Ferg Ferguson out of Queenstown, former Junior All Black,
great sports commentator, great bloke, hot jock until very recently.
(29:25):
Fergie would have you know this song named the song
and the artist for ten points.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
Well, I was sitting there on hole Jamie, and I
was trying to listen to the music. I couldn't hear,
couldn't hear the things. I have no idea.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Okay, what can you can you hear this. No, I
don't know what's going on. It was the one hit
wondered by a guy by the name of or a
Falco rock me Armadaeus.
Speaker 9 (29:51):
Ah.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Yeah, any hey, ten years this year or the end
of this week marks ten years of Rural Games. You
and I there on day one in Queenstown, your home
patch when Steve Hollander, founder and trustee bought the Rural
Games to Queenstown. It was a great venue too. They're
in Palmerston North. Now, those were a magical days. What
(30:14):
are your memories from those early days of the Rural Games.
Speaker 9 (30:18):
I think my earliest memory was this guy called Steve
Hollander bursting through the studio door the Queenston who I
had no idea who he was. He just announced himself.
I said, what do you want? And he explained about
the Rural Games concept that was coming to Queenstown and
he wanted me to be part of the commentary team
and amongst you and Wiggy at that point. And I
think I think former All Black halfback Justin Marshall might
(30:39):
have had a wee role to play that year as well.
But yeah, it was Steve bursting into the studio and
introducing himself and away we went from there. You know,
two years in Queenstain you talk about the magnificent venue
at the rec round. Was being a local you know
at the time when Year one was in Queenstown at
the rec ground, I thought, oh, I don't know about
post hall borers the likes of going into the hallowed
(31:01):
turf at the Red Ground. But they got away with it.
We had two great years there before we moved on
to the magnificent venue of the Square and Parmesan North.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Steve Holland is a force of nature. That's a kind
way to describe Steve. But he sent me my first job.
I got banished to the far end of the Queenstown
Recreation Ground there where you played a lot of footy.
Ferg to commentate the tree climbing and I thought, Jesus
will be as boring as batship. I shouldn't have said that.
(31:30):
It was fantastic and I stuck with that job and
I loved it because you get to commentate on the
arborous doing their job. I had no idea what tree
climbing was all about, and it's probably a bit like that.
When you got allocated the coal shoveling.
Speaker 9 (31:46):
Yeah, well coal shoveling was the first one up for
me and a couple of real coasters in Brian Coglin
whose dad sadly passed away, and the strongman Minders asked
of many decades ago, and Richie Banks, father of Marty
Banks who who now run it up in Parmison North.
They make the trip up. But I got to the
coal shoveling and thought what the heck goes on here?
But it was a very quick education with Toggan and
(32:08):
Richie and others that were there in that first year,
and that's become one of the highlights. I like that
tagline that Steve uses during the games. You know, sports
that build a nation, and we know that there's you know,
Cole's got its stigma around the country and probably a
bit of a resurgence at the moment through Minister Jones.
But it's great that there's a platform for coal shoveling
of all things, to be showcased in Parmerston North and
(32:31):
it's always a crowd favorite.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
My favorite the tree climbing and the dog trolls were
my favorite ones that I got to commentate. Always wanted
to do the speed shares, but Wiggy cut my lunch
on that one. I know you loved the Highland Heavies,
the Highland Games.
Speaker 9 (32:48):
Yeah, the big boys when they come out to play,
and that's always a bit of a highlight and I
guess that's probably one of the favorite ones for me,
Big Luke Reynold and don't know with the big Aussies
coming back, but I think it was Andrew Millard from
cold Onnger who took it out last year, and Craig
Manson from Ashburton. John McFarland, the local pastor from Palmi
North who takes part as well. But that's always a
(33:10):
classic event. You got of the cave toss. You've got
the weight over the bar where they it's a bit
like a high jump, but you've got a bit this
twenty five kilogram weight, throw it over the back or
over your shoulder and up over the bar. And then
of course the stones to the barrel, where you've got
five stones to pick up at the base of a
wine barrel, stick them on the top and they range
from around ninety odd kilos to one hundred and fifty
(33:32):
six at the end of it all, and that's a
staggering event. That brings Parmes to North, the Square to
its feet absolutely.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Of course, the Rural Games will be on Friday, Saturday
and Sunday in the Square and Palmeston North magnificent venue,
as is the Country coming to town and you know,
Palmeston North is a real farming town along with Fielding
just up the road. But before that or on the
Friday evening at the magnificent Awa Perni Function Center, we
(34:00):
have the Rural Sports Awards. You're going to be MC
along with Rowena Duncan here from the Country and of
course Craig Wiggy Wiggins. It's a fantastic night and I think,
in true Steve Hollander fashion, he's managed to get another
three tables in there because it's a sell out every year.
You got to love Steve, and we've got three.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Tables left to buy.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
And honestly, I've been to a lot of these sort
of awards functions over the years and I'd have to say,
and I don't even know the name of the catering
company therg, but whoever caters for that dinner in Palmerston
North on Friday night are the best caterers I've ever seen.
Speaker 9 (34:39):
Yeah, you're right, there. Jamie's a magnificent night and the
caterers do a fantastic job. And I mean Steve gets
a magnificent lineup of local politicians and members of parliament.
I think even the Sports Minister Mitchell's going to be
there this weekend and guest speakers Suwayne Smith and Tim
Sowby and Dylan Smith, the Olympic trampolinist and Cameron He's
(35:00):
going to be down a whole host of others. It's
probably one of the best sporting nights outside of the
halburg S, that not better than the Helberg's. Can I
say that outside of the Halburgs in the country.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Yeah, absolutely fantastic. All right, Wiggy, thank you very Wiggy.
Try got Wiggy on the brain. I still see. I
gave up trying to get the gig for the speed sharing,
but he does an excellent job there as well. You
enjoy your weekend and Parmi North, how could you not?
Speaker 9 (35:28):
Yeah, we'll do mate.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Thank you, Good on you.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
And good on you for being there for ten years
for the rural Games. Craig ferg Ferguson out of Queen's
down there no time to waste its time for Monday's
Weekly Rain Dance with Phil Duncan. Next, wrapping the country
(35:51):
for a Monday with Monday's Weekly rain Dance. Phil Duncan
from weather Watch. Let's get straight into it, Phil, More
and more of the North Island is now being declared
as drought.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
What do you got for them?
Speaker 6 (36:03):
Yeah, So, basically we did see some rain relief come
into those areas around King Country Taranaki by Tomo in
the last couple of weeks. Wasn't a huge amount. It
was just enough to kind of reduce that drought jumps
back to the next level, which is extremely dry. You know,
same thing basically splitting heres, but there's a technical difference.
We're now seeing that dry extend further up into the
(36:24):
western side of Northland around Hokianga Harbor to the northern
side of that western side of Northland very dry. Auckland's
catching up Waikato as too, So we need rain. There's
a little bit coming tomorrow. It's probably not enough to
make any big difference to those dry areas, but it
will be welcomed, but it may not be much.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
And the dry is starting to creep into the South Island,
southern South Island too.
Speaker 6 (36:47):
Yeah, what we found is that in the last couple
of weeks, the rain that came into the North Island
reduced the drought area, made it smaller, but it made
all the other areas get slightly dry, and so we've
sort of seen the lower level. It's on that draft index,
you know, it's just got dry, very dry, extremely dry.
Those different categories are being filled up more and more
across New Zealand. The rain that's coming in over the
(37:08):
next twenty four hours or so mostly eastern driven, so
it'll help out Canterbury and Hawk's Bay and Waited Upper
and Gismon in those areas more than it will the
western side of the country.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Okay, Phil, Well that's I can't shet the messenger. We
just need a bit of a change in the weather pattern.
But thank you very much as always for your time.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
Mate.
Speaker 6 (37:28):
You are very welcome. Enjoy the high pressure on the way.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
There we go, Phil Duncan there, it is almost wrapping
the show, just following on from my yarn with ferg there,
who will be one of the EMC's at the Rural
Sports Awards in Palmei North at the magnificent Awa Perni
Function Center on Friday, night. There are three tables left.
It is a sellout. They have like five or six
(37:53):
hundred people there. It is the rural Halberg's and as
Ferg said, you've got Sirwayne Smith speaking Tim so what
a great rural connection he's got, and many others. It's
going to be a great night out. Drop me an
email Jamie at the Country dot co dot in z
and I'll forward you on to Steve.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
We'll catch you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent. You're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.