January 15, 2026 • 7 mins
Michelle Watt looks at the Tour of Southland which (finally) gets underway this weekend!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
That's scared is starting. That Scared is starting. Yeah, that's
Scared is starting.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
That's Michelle Last, executive producer of the Country, joins us
for the Country Crossover. Good afternoon, Michelle, Welcome to twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Afternoon, Andy, can we still say Happy New Year? I've
been having that discussion all week with people because we're
pretty much halfway through the month and we're already talking
about February, which is a little bit scary.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Phil Duncan mentioned this before and we decided you can
do it for the first week, then after that it's
just business time.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Fair enough. I think I probably agree with that one,
so maybe I should go on with that. But you know,
if you haven't seen them for a.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
While, anyway, how is your holiday?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
It was brilliant, Thank you. I got to relax and
recop and recharge and ready to go with the Country
for twenty twenty six. Of course, we've been back for
the first week this week with Hamish mackay and next
week Jamie will be back in the hot seat.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Yeah, so quite a bit on the table at the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
We'll just touch on us very briefly, but all the
world rugby world anyway, talking about decision regarding the All
Blacks to end the reign of Scott Robinson only two
years in, and there's so many questions to be answered
around all of this, which we're not going to go into, but.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
You go to acknowledge it.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I suppose it's just such a big topic.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Oh, it's crazy, isn't it. I mean, yesterday in the
newsroom to give some insight into that, and it was
just manic as soon as the news was out that
this might be happening, that meeting might be a thing
of yesterday, everyone was just with baited breath, waiting and
watching to see what happened next. And there's a lot
to unpack. I think personally, I feel of it. Sorry
(01:36):
for Raiser, it's hard. I mean, losing your job publicly
like that, with the whole world whispering about it by
the sound of it before it even happened, has got
to be difficult.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, that's welcome to the life of being an All
Blacks coach, I suppose.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Well, yeah, it's a very high profile position. People argue that,
but he's still a person at the end of the day,
and I think people forget that about politicians and coaches
and Raby players and sports people. Is that at the
end of the day, there's still Harrison. They're still a
human in there, and I think he'll be going through
a lot of emotions at the moment and finding things
incredibly tough. I'd imagine it won't be easy for him
and there's a lot to unpack with that. It'll be
(02:10):
interesting to hear. Obviously, there'll be a lot of opinions
over the next week from different people about why and
how and speculations and things like that. Whether we'll hear
about what really happened or how it came about, who knows.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Sir John Kerwin put a fantastic post out on social
media yesterday regarding the mental health of Scott Robinson. We'll
carry you on the Tour of Southland getting underway this weekend.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Finally, Oh isn't it exciting? Well, I'm excited because I'm
a cyclist and I enjoy cycling Andy, but this is
huge down in Southland. Anyone who lives in Southland will
know about the Tour of Southland. It's been going I
think this year is sixty nine. Actually know there's going
to be two editions of the tour, so obviously it
got postponed last year end of last year do that
(02:52):
massive weather event down in Southland, and it was going
to be the sixty ninth edition. So this year the
sixty ninth edition which will now be starting this weekend
and the seventieers edition which will be the end of
this year, will be in the same year, which I
don't think has happened before from my history looking back,
someone might want to correct me on that one. But
the first stage obviously on Sunday, and it kicks off
(03:14):
with the tour with the prologue team time trial of
Stage one, which starts and finishes at the y Kiwi
Rugby Club. Now you should head down there and have
a lot. It'll be fantastic. There are some really great
riders to look out for, and of course brand new
team within there with Open Country sponsoring a team this year,
and there's some great writers in that team as well,
one of which is Logan Curry who has actually written
(03:35):
overseas in Europe for Team Lotto and I think FDJ
Grupma potentially he might have been in that originally, but
someone might want to correet me on that as one
as well. But great writers to watch. We've also got
an open country nick kids. I can't pronounce his last name,
it's Kerr Gozu de la Bossier. I think he's done
(03:58):
a few tours. He is known as the sprint King.
He is a Southland lad and he is one to
watch in that race over the week. And also Daniel
Whitehouse who is in qs Southland which is the jerseys
that look a bit like Swan drives. He's one to
watch and the climb. We also have a few others
in their like really famous New Zealand riders. We've got
(04:19):
Hayden Rolston of course, he was a four time winner
of the tour from two thousand and six to twenty
ten and an Olympic silver medalist. There is Aaron Gate
who is currently one of the one of the New
Zealand's well known amazing riders. He's actually heading I think
over to ride and to it. I think he's riding
in a team and Tour de France this year. We've
also got Julian Dean who competed in seven Tour de
(04:41):
France races during his professional career. And Michael Vink who's
a three time winner and he was a talented climber
and he raced in professional ranks as well. Some really
great riders that have been in that in this race
and it's been sort of like a launching pad for
them into that professional career. So definitely go down and
watch it. I know all the schools come out down
in Tiano. They come out and watch them come through Tian.
(05:02):
Now that'll be stage three this year. But heat to
the website and have a lock if you want to
follow it.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Small town heroes, every town's got one, haven't they?
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Towns go on, Yeah, absolutely does have one. Are you
are you a small town here, Andy?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
God? No, just turn up and do a job.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Go home and get abused by my kids for not
doing this and not doing that.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Oh well, some of the small down heroes I was
going through. And the reason why I thought about this
is because we interviewed Eating Carson this week. Of course,
Eating Carson spin Bowler from the White Friends, currently injured,
also plays for Targo Sparks and she's from the Mania
Toto gimmer Burne originally, and they really respect those small places,
love the fact that they've got someone who's in these
(05:46):
top teams. And it made me think of like, Kurow,
have you been to Kurow and seeing the fundraiser for
Richie mccaul's statue.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
No, but I played rugby there in the late eighties
when I was the third Forest and kitn's.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
The giant fundraising thing they want to try and get
a statue of Richie mccaorr in the main street. You
should go check it out.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I've been doing that for years though, have they not.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, it's been there for a while. I'm not sure.
I haven't checked it out lately to see where the
funds are at. I might have to have a lot
next time i'm up there. But other people you know,
Andrew Howeer from ran Fairly as well, David Ladder from Burclosa.
I'm sure Gore's got their local hometown not just sporting
heroes but heroes as well, but a lot of them
around the place. And it's great to see those small
towns really get behind people and help them get to
(06:27):
where they are.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Absolutely, and just to wrap up, Michelle, it's been a
positive start to the year. We talk about good stories.
I think this comes as we does come of that category.
Wall continues to go up. The South Island price update
you came out yesterday. The sale went up thirty eight
cents average.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
That's amazing, isn't it. It's been such a good positive
start to twenty twenty six where the dairy prices now
Wall meets looking pretty good. We're to chat to our
dear guy the other day from PGG Tony Cochrane, Velvet
and Venison are looking quite good as well. Things are
all looking really positive on that front, so hopefully it
continues through twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Good on you, Michelle, always got to catch up. You
enjoy the weekend you too.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Start.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Michelle Watt, executive producer of the Country and The Country
Crossover away to Garston next. Tom O'Brien a regular correspondent,
but he's got another multi sport event happening on his farm.
He's going to tell us about it.
That's scared is starting. That Scared is starting. Yeah, that's
Scared is starting.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
That's Michelle Last, executive producer of the Country, joins us
for the Country Crossover. Good afternoon, Michelle, Welcome to twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Afternoon, Andy, can we still say Happy New Year? I've
been having that discussion all week with people because we're
pretty much halfway through the month and we're already talking
about February, which is a little bit scary.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Phil Duncan mentioned this before and we decided you can
do it for the first week, then after that it's
just business time.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Fair enough. I think I probably agree with that one,
so maybe I should go on with that. But you know,
if you haven't seen them for a.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
While, anyway, how is your holiday?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
It was brilliant, Thank you. I got to relax and
recop and recharge and ready to go with the Country
for twenty twenty six. Of course, we've been back for
the first week this week with Hamish mackay and next
week Jamie will be back in the hot seat.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Yeah, so quite a bit on the table at the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
We'll just touch on us very briefly, but all the
world rugby world anyway, talking about decision regarding the All
Blacks to end the reign of Scott Robinson only two
years in, and there's so many questions to be answered
around all of this, which we're not going to go into, but.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
You go to acknowledge it.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I suppose it's just such a big topic.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Oh, it's crazy, isn't it. I mean, yesterday in the
newsroom to give some insight into that, and it was
just manic as soon as the news was out that
this might be happening, that meeting might be a thing
of yesterday, everyone was just with baited breath, waiting and
watching to see what happened next. And there's a lot
to unpack. I think personally, I feel of it. Sorry
(01:36):
for Raiser, it's hard. I mean, losing your job publicly
like that, with the whole world whispering about it by
the sound of it before it even happened, has got
to be difficult.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, that's welcome to the life of being an All
Blacks coach, I suppose.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Well, yeah, it's a very high profile position. People argue that,
but he's still a person at the end of the day,
and I think people forget that about politicians and coaches
and Raby players and sports people. Is that at the
end of the day, there's still Harrison. They're still a
human in there, and I think he'll be going through
a lot of emotions at the moment and finding things
incredibly tough. I'd imagine it won't be easy for him
and there's a lot to unpack with that. It'll be
(02:10):
interesting to hear. Obviously, there'll be a lot of opinions
over the next week from different people about why and
how and speculations and things like that. Whether we'll hear
about what really happened or how it came about, who knows.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Sir John Kerwin put a fantastic post out on social
media yesterday regarding the mental health of Scott Robinson. We'll
carry you on the Tour of Southland getting underway this weekend.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Finally, Oh isn't it exciting? Well, I'm excited because I'm
a cyclist and I enjoy cycling Andy, but this is
huge down in Southland. Anyone who lives in Southland will
know about the Tour of Southland. It's been going I
think this year is sixty nine. Actually know there's going
to be two editions of the tour, so obviously it
got postponed last year end of last year do that
(02:52):
massive weather event down in Southland, and it was going
to be the sixty ninth edition. So this year the
sixty ninth edition which will now be starting this weekend
and the seventieers edition which will be the end of
this year, will be in the same year, which I
don't think has happened before from my history looking back,
someone might want to correct me on that one. But
the first stage obviously on Sunday, and it kicks off
(03:14):
with the tour with the prologue team time trial of
Stage one, which starts and finishes at the y Kiwi
Rugby Club. Now you should head down there and have
a lot. It'll be fantastic. There are some really great
riders to look out for, and of course brand new
team within there with Open Country sponsoring a team this year,
and there's some great writers in that team as well,
one of which is Logan Curry who has actually written
(03:35):
overseas in Europe for Team Lotto and I think FDJ
Grupma potentially he might have been in that originally, but
someone might want to correet me on that as one
as well. But great writers to watch. We've also got
an open country nick kids. I can't pronounce his last name,
it's Kerr Gozu de la Bossier. I think he's done
(03:58):
a few tours. He is known as the sprint King.
He is a Southland lad and he is one to
watch in that race over the week. And also Daniel
Whitehouse who is in qs Southland which is the jerseys
that look a bit like Swan drives. He's one to
watch and the climb. We also have a few others
in their like really famous New Zealand riders. We've got
(04:19):
Hayden Rolston of course, he was a four time winner
of the tour from two thousand and six to twenty
ten and an Olympic silver medalist. There is Aaron Gate
who is currently one of the one of the New
Zealand's well known amazing riders. He's actually heading I think
over to ride and to it. I think he's riding
in a team and Tour de France this year. We've
also got Julian Dean who competed in seven Tour de
(04:41):
France races during his professional career. And Michael Vink who's
a three time winner and he was a talented climber
and he raced in professional ranks as well. Some really
great riders that have been in that in this race
and it's been sort of like a launching pad for
them into that professional career. So definitely go down and
watch it. I know all the schools come out down
in Tiano. They come out and watch them come through Tian.
(05:02):
Now that'll be stage three this year. But heat to
the website and have a lock if you want to
follow it.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Small town heroes, every town's got one, haven't they?
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Towns go on, Yeah, absolutely does have one. Are you
are you a small town here, Andy?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
God? No, just turn up and do a job.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Go home and get abused by my kids for not
doing this and not doing that.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Oh well, some of the small down heroes I was
going through. And the reason why I thought about this
is because we interviewed Eating Carson this week. Of course,
Eating Carson spin Bowler from the White Friends, currently injured,
also plays for Targo Sparks and she's from the Mania
Toto gimmer Burne originally, and they really respect those small places,
love the fact that they've got someone who's in these
(05:46):
top teams. And it made me think of like, Kurow,
have you been to Kurow and seeing the fundraiser for
Richie mccaul's statue.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
No, but I played rugby there in the late eighties
when I was the third Forest and kitn's.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
The giant fundraising thing they want to try and get
a statue of Richie mccaorr in the main street. You
should go check it out.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I've been doing that for years though, have they not.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, it's been there for a while. I'm not sure.
I haven't checked it out lately to see where the
funds are at. I might have to have a lot
next time i'm up there. But other people you know,
Andrew Howeer from ran Fairly as well, David Ladder from Burclosa.
I'm sure Gore's got their local hometown not just sporting
heroes but heroes as well, but a lot of them
around the place. And it's great to see those small
towns really get behind people and help them get to
(06:27):
where they are.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Absolutely, and just to wrap up, Michelle, it's been a
positive start to the year. We talk about good stories.
I think this comes as we does come of that category.
Wall continues to go up. The South Island price update
you came out yesterday. The sale went up thirty eight
cents average.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
That's amazing, isn't it. It's been such a good positive
start to twenty twenty six where the dairy prices now
Wall meets looking pretty good. We're to chat to our
dear guy the other day from PGG Tony Cochrane, Velvet
and Venison are looking quite good as well. Things are
all looking really positive on that front, so hopefully it
continues through twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Good on you, Michelle, always got to catch up. You
enjoy the weekend you too.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Start.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Michelle Watt, executive producer of the Country and The Country
Crossover away to Garston next. Tom O'Brien a regular correspondent,
but he's got another multi sport event happening on his farm.
He's going to tell us about it.
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