The accomplishments of these gentlemen are outstanding, and having the opportunity to listen to their significant achievements being read out and recognised was a real honour. We had a great fun-filled night. It was a special occasion to have these gentlemen, their families and friends who represented and supported them back at school for this wonderful evening.

It was also great to welcome Jeremy Corbett on Saturday afternoon. Jeremy could not attend Friday night but we caught up with him Saturday and presented him with his award.

Enjoy reading the notes for each recipient:

Hadleigh Adams

Hadleigh attended Boys’ High from 1998-2002 and he was in Phoenix Club. During his time at school, he was successful academically and he was heavily involved in the performing arts: he was in the symphonic band, playing the trombone and he was the leader of the band in 2002. He was also a school prefect in 2002, was in the school choir for his entire time at school and was the leader of the choir in 2001 and 2002; in 2002 the OK Chorale won a gold award at the Big Sing when the group was the best male secondary school choir in the country. He was selected for the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir in 2001/2002.

Hadleigh won an individual award at the Sheilah Winn Schools’ Shakespeare Festival playing Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing and he was outstanding in the lead role of Tevye in the school production of Fiddler on the Roof, where director Chris Burton said, “Hadleigh’s determination to master his part was inspiring; his final execution of it, a rare privilege to experience.

After finishing at PNBHS, Hadleigh completed a Bachelor of Music degree with 1st Class Honours at Auckland University in 2006. He went on to study for a Master of Music degree at the NZ School of Music. In 2009 Hadleigh moved to Melbourne to take up a scholarship at Australia’s The Opera Studio. He then left for London where he attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on a full scholarship. While in the UK Hadleigh performed with the Royal National Theatre.

In 2009 he was a national finalist in the Opera Australia Moffat Oxenbould Young Artist Auditions, at which time he made his debut at the Sydney Opera House. In 2010 he was the winner of the Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Scholarship.

In 2012 he was a participant in the prestigious Merola Opera programme, and in 2013 he was awarded an Adler Fellowship at San Francisco Opera, making him the first New Zealander in the company’s history to have been both a Merola artist and an Adler fellow.

Hadleigh has gone on to perform in nineteen San Francisco Opera productions, making over one hundred performances with his baritone and bass-baritone repertoire. He has appeared in Puccini’s Tosca and La bohème, among other productions while at San Francisco.

In 2018 Hadleigh was invited to join the Nederlandse Reisopera for his European debut in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. The same year Opera News said of his performance with Luca Francesconi’s Quartett, “Baritone Hadleigh Adams was an impressive Valmont, singing with dark strength and supple, expressive tone.”

Alongside his work in operatic productions, Hadleigh has also performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony and has performed as the baritone soloist on Handel’s Messiah on many occasions.

Unfortunately, Hadleigh was unable to be here for the presentation as he is performing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, then will be moving shortly to Carnegie Hall.

Shane Cortese

Shane Coetez, David Bovey — Image by: PNBHS

Shane attended Boys’ High in 1985 and 86, having moved here from Tauranga Boys’, and he was in Kia Ora Club. Shane Collins, as he was then known, was a great all-rounder at school, getting involved in a wide range of school activities. He was in the 2nd XV in 1985 where the Palmerstonian notes that the return trip of the 2nd XV’s tour of the South Island from Picton was rather rough, as Shane ‘Paperbag’ Collins found out. It can’t have affected Shane too much because he was promoted to the 1st XV during the season, where it was noted he had a great attitude.

He was involved in drama, appearing in the school’s production of Breaker Morant, hewas in the operatic society, and he also played squash and cricket. Indeed, he excelled at cricket, being the 1st XI’s leading bowler in the first part of the season, where his “whippy action was able to generate unexpected pace and movement”.

Shane was deputy club captain of Kia Ora and a school prefect in 1986 – so he clearly made a very positive impression having only arrived at the school the year before.

Upon leaving PNBHS Shane began a career as a travel agent in Palmerston North and he continued in the performing arts, appearing at the Globe and the Opera House in Palmerston North, before heading to the UK.

Shane trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, and he spent ten years in the UK where he performed in the West End and in touring musicals, including the Rocky Horror Picture Show at both the Duke of York’s Theatre and Victoria Palace. His performances won critical acclaim from UK reviewers.

While in the UK he also starred in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat as Pharoah, and he played the title character in Elvis the Musical.

Back in New Zealand, Shane appeared in the productions of well-known musicals Cats, Chicago and Guys and Dolls.

His many television credits include Shortland Street, Outrageous Fortune, Westside, The Brokenwood Mysteries, Nothing Trivial, and The Almighty Johnsons. Shane won the TV Guide Best Actor Award for three consecutive years for his roles in Nothing Trivial and The Almighty Johnsons and in 2012 he was nominated in the Best Actor category for the Monte Carlo Television Awards, alongside such well-known actors as Steve Buscemi, Peter Dinklage, and Derek Jacobi for his role in Nothing Trivial. He also appeared in the fantasy series Maddigan’s Quest.

On leaving Shortland Street he was in the first New Zealand series of Dancing with the Stars where he finished runner-up to Norm Hewitt in the final. Shane has hosted So You Think You Can Dance and Dream Home Dilemma and he has narrated many of our most-watched reality series.

Graeme Cowley

Graeme Cowley and The Rector, David Bovey — Image by: PNBHS

Graeme attended Boys’ High from 1961-64, and he was in Kia Ora and then Murray. Graeme was also a fine all-rounder at school, being involved in swimming, athletics, tennis, the air training corps, and boxing, making the final of the Middleweight Boxing Championship in 1964, where the “pace was fast and good footwork shown” but unfortunately, he lost the bout to John Douglas.

Graeme was also in the school’s A shooting team. In 1964 he was in the 1st XV, and he was part of the first school team to embark on an overseas tour when the team went to Australia.

Graeme studied English, Education and Psychology at Victoria University upon leaving PNBHS where he helped establish a film co-op after becoming frustrated at how little attention New Zealand universities paid to the art of filmmaking. As a result of Graeme’s short film On the Mud he was invited to join the team of cinematographers at Pacific Films.

Graeme moved to London in 1971 and while there he found that second-hand film-making equipment was readily available and affordable and as a result he was able, upon his return to New Zealand, launch rental outfit Film Facilities which provided equipment to independent film makers. He also established production company Motion Pictures with Nigel Hutchinson. Film Facilities imported modern equipment such as special camera mounts which allowed filming from cars and helicopters.

Graeme worked on Winners & Losers with Roger Donaldson, which signalled his move from commercials and documentaries into drama, and he worked on Donaldson’s first movie, the Sleeping Dogs, the first feature-length 35mm film produced in New Zealand.

Graeme’s first feature as a cinematographer was Donaldson’s Smash Palace, and he went on to work on Geoff Murphy’s iconic Goodbye Pork Pie and as cinematographer on Murphy’s Utu. Utu was a pioneering movie in many ways, including its early use of handheld Steadicam cameras and the muted colour scheme. Years later, after seeing how poor Utu looked on television, Graeme worked with Murphy and editor Mike Horton to restore and re-edit the film, the result of which was Utu Redux which was released in 2013 to widespread acclaim.

Graeme moved into producing and directing, and established Kiwi Films, which produced the comedy Carry Me Back. After a brief experience of Hollywood movie-making and in other places overseas, Graeme returned to his company Film Facilities, which he sold in the mid-1990s.

He then moved into winemaking, setting up Auntsfield Estate winery in Marlborough while still keeping his involvement in the world of film.

Jeremy Corbett

Jeremy was at Boys’ High from 1976-80 and he was in Albion Club. He did well academically, achieving a scholarship pass in Pure Mathematics in his final year. He was club captain of Albion when they won the Shand Shield in 1980. He played hockey, making the 2nd XI in 1979/80 and he was involved in drama, appearing in the school show Berthold Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.

Jeremy was a champion swimmer, winning titles every year at school and being named best senior all-round swimmer in 1979, his sixth form year. He won a number of events at the Manawatu Inter-secondary school championships, medalled at the North Island championships, and also won a bronze medal at the national long-distance championships.

After leaving PNBHS Jeremy studied at Massey University, gaining a BA in English and computing. He joined Radio Massey and was involved in the Capping Revue and a number of other comedy sketch shows.

Jeremy was a founding member of Energy FM in New Plymouth, along with future cabinet minister Steven Joyce. He then moved to Australia where from 1987-91 he was a computer analyst in Perth.

Returning to New Zealand in 1991 Jeremy joined 2XS Radio in Palmerston North as an announcer for a short time before heading to Auckland where he was a producer at 91FM and then Radio Hauraki. He appeared in the Paradise Picture Show as roving reporter Clark Bent before becoming the Breakfast Show co-host with Kim Adamson, a partnership that lasted for sixteen years.

In 1993/94 Jeremy co-hosted the comedy talent show A Bit After Ten, and then A Bit More After Ten, and he appeared a number of times on TV series Pulp Comedy between 1995 and 2003. Jeremy also hosted the Gong Show talent quest in 1997/98 and hosted the NZ version of Deal or No Deal in 2007.

Since 2009 Jeremy has hosted the popular television comedy panel show 7 Days, as well as touring with a stage version of the show throughout the country.

In 2012 Jeremy appeared in the Wellington-set comedy film Edwin: My Life as a Koont.

Told recently that he is the godfather of New Zealand standup comedy, Jeremy noted that the comment was from a younger comedian and meant as an insult. He believes most of his success has just come from sticking around.

Jeremy was unable to be there for the evening as he is currently touring with his standup show, and we missed him by one day. Fortunately, though he was unable to catch up with the Rector to be presented with his citation the following day.

Pat Hanly

Lillian Hanly - Granddaughter of Pat Hanly — Image by: PNBHS

Pat attended Boys’ High in 1947 and ’48 and he was in Kia Ora Club.

In 1947 Pat was in the top third form class, IIIA, and he played for the 7th Grade A rugby team. He was selected in the Under 7stone 7 lbs team that played Rongotai College from Wellington in a new inter-school fixture.

Pat finished in the top 25 of the 1947 Road Race but there was no Road Race in 1948 due to restrictions imposed by the Health Department because of the polio epidemic.

Pat left school in May 1948 at his parents’ encouragement to begin a barber’s apprenticeship at Pratt’s Hairdressers.

With his first wages, he bought a book of Rembrandt’s drawings, which his mother took off him to ensure her son was not exposed to any nudes. But his mother also encouraged him to enrol in night classes at the Technical College and in 1951 Pat sat his art school preliminary examinations. In 1952 he enrolled in the Canterbury College School of Art and the following year he won the prestigious Turner Prize for landscape painting.

Upon finishing his studies, Pat travelled to Europe and the UK, where he attended classes at the Chelsea Art School and gained several notable scholarships, before returning to New Zealand in 1962. While overseas Pat absorbed Picasso, Chagall, Bacon, and abstract expressionism which was to be a strong influence on his work.

On his return, Pat began painting fulltime, as well as lecturing part-time in drawing at the Auckland University School of Architecture. Throughout the 1960s Pat won the Manawatu Prize for Contemporary Art four times, and he became one of New Zealand’s most prolific painters.

In the book Contemporary New Zealand Art, by Elizabeth Caughey (Cor-he) and John Gow, the authors note that “throughout his long career, Hanly juggled his need to express his response to matters of social conscience with his gift for creating paintings that convey great joyfulness. The resulting works were, variously, political, reflective of the human condition or observational, particularly of family and friends.” A number of his works dealt with social issues such as nuclear testing in the Pacific, the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, and the 1981 Springbok tour.

Pat would become acknowledged as New Zealand’s premier colourist, with critics noting that his paintings exhibited a real vibrancy of colour while experimenting with different media, styles, and methods.

Pat’s artwork is held in several New Zealand institutions, including the Houses of Parliament, Te Papa, the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, and, of course, Palmerston North Boys’ High School, where his wonderful mural is just metres away from us in the atrium. It was previously in the library and when the Speirs Centre was completed the space on the wall was the perfect size to accommodate Pat’s mural, almost as if it was made for it.

In 2002, the Pat Hanly Creativity Awards were established and are an annual award for senior secondary school artists.

Sadly, Pat passed away in 2004 after suffering from Huntingdon’s disease, but after some excellent detective work from Rachel Wenham and Stu in the Old Boys office, we managed to track down Pat’s granddaughter, Lillian Hanly.

Peter Land

Peter Land, David Bovey — Image by: PNBHS

Peter White, as he was known then, came from Taihape and attended Boys’ High from 1966-1971 and he was in Murray Club.

Peter was involved in a wide range of activities while at school. He represented Murray in athletics, tennis, hockey, and squash. He played rugby and was in the successful 5th XV which won 10 of its 11 games in the 1971 season, conceding only 56 points in those 11 matches.

Peter was a member of the School Choir, the Interact Club, Choral Club, Guitar Club, Drama Club and School Forum. In 1971 the school’s entry into the NZ Theatre Federation Junior Drama Festival was “The Dumb Waiter” by Harold Pinter – produced and acted by Murray Lynch and Peter White. Performances for charity were later organised by Peter and the money raised was given to I.H.C.

He was a School Prefect, College House Head Boy, and Murray Club Captain in 1971.

Upon leaving school, Peter attended Victoria University and then the New Zealand Drama School Toi Whakaari. After graduating he joined the Mercury Theatre in Auckland where he appeared in a number of musicals.

He was cast in the TV One series the Ngaio Marsh Quarter, where the English actor George Baker encouraged him to leave New Zealand for the UK, and to change his name to Peter Land as his birth name was already taken by the Actors’ Equity, so he shortened his mother’s maiden name, Copeland, to Land.

Performing first in the Aba Daba Music Hall, he was then offered a contract at the Duchess Theatre in the Revue: Oh!Calcutta! Subsequently he was cast in Lerner & Loewe’s revival of My Fair Lady which toured Britain and went into one of the West End’s great theatres, the Adelphi.

Peter has been a member of both the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company performing with Sir Michael Gambon, Dame Peggy Ashcroft and Sir Patrick Stewart. He made his Broadway debut in All’s Well That Ends Well and has been seen Off-Broadway in the musicals Colette Collage, Oh! Coward and Ruthless! Recently Peter appeared in the HBO Series Autopsy and his numerous West End credits include The Phantom of the Opera, Pickwick, Cabaret, One Touch of Venus, and Dear World.

Along with many performances on cast albums and on radio and television, he has also recorded On The Street Where You Live with Placido Domingo, appeared in the 1991 & 1993 Royal Variety Shows, recorded the CD That’s What Friends Are For! and played a fictitious Prince Andrew on NZ Television’s Marlin Bay.

His latest film, The Bridges We Cross, in which he featured as the husband of a dementia patient, has just won Best Romance Film at the Cannes World Film Festival 2024.

He and his late wife Dame Gillian Lynne collaborated as performer, producer, and director over sixteen times, and he is Chairman of the Dame Gillian Lynne and Peter Land Foundation, which enables students at drama or dance schools to finish their training if in financial hardship. He is also a trustee of the New English Ballet Theatre (NEBT).

Johnny McCormick

Johnny McCormick, David Bovey — Image by: PNBHS

Johnny attended PNBHS from 1957-60 and he’ll be pleased to know that his school record card shows his conduct was very good in each of his four years at school.

Johnny was first in Fourth Form Commercial and during his time here he played soccer, as it was then known, and cricket for Albion. In fact, Johnny was in the famous Butler Cup match in E Grade where Albion dismissed Phoenix for 0. Johnny’s figures were 2/0 and he took a catch. The full score sheet is recorded in the 1959 Palmerstonian. One of the Phoenix players is quoted as saying “at least I was caught on the boundary”.

Johnny was in the school band for four years which played an item at assembly every Thursday and accompanied the hymn. They also played at Cadet Parades, the College House Garden Party, Jaycee Market Day, the Old Folks Association, the School Anzac Service, the School and Inter-school Sports, and the Prize-Giving Ceremony. Other occasions included inter-school rugby matches, the Rice Bowl Appeal Day, a street march to gain publicity for the school opera and a full Sunday evening concert in the Square, to name a few.

He played the cornet and then the E-flat major tenor horn, while in his third year at PNBHS he began teaching himself the saxophone. Johnny was selected for the National Junior Band in 1960.

After leaving school, he joined his first rock n’ roll band, ‘The Flares’, then ‘Jim and the Jets’ in Palmerston North. After moving to Wellington, he joined ‘Sounds Unlimited’ with whom he recorded twelve tracks, and he was also a session musician for many pop groups and singers of the day at the EMI Studios in Wellington, as well as recording for radio.

Johnny then travelled to England playing on cruise ships in 1967, with “Sounds Unlimited”. In 1968 he joined ‘The Quincy Conserve’, recording four records (LPs) with them. He also continued to back many artists, including recording with Suzanne on an LP playing the flute.

Johnny moved back to Palmerston North in the mid-70s and played in Rodger Fox’s first Big Band and toured with him for five years in his Blues Revue shows featuring major overseas artists. He also played in local hotels for many years with ‘S.P.2’, and in his own small jazz groups, one of which was called ‘Sugar’.

Johnny became a successful tutor and he taught for many years in schools throughout the Manawatu. In the mid-1990s he ran a concert featuring all of his pupils, both private and school pupils, which featured 80 saxophones in concert, a first in New Zealand. Recordings from this concert were used by Jamey Aebersold (top American jazz tutor) to play to his pupils throughout America.

Johnny is proud of the fact that many of his pupils have gone on to do big things and to have careers in music both in New Zealand and overseas.

He is a regular at Napier’s Art Deco weekends and has played many concerts at Church Road Winery to crowds in excess of 20,000.

In 2008 Johnny’s contribution to music was recognised when he was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, becoming a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).

Hamish McKay

Hamish McKay, David Bovey — Image by: PNBHS

Hamish attended Boys’ High from 1979-83 and he was in Murray Club.

Like many of our inductees this evening, Hamish was involved in a wide range of things at school. He represented Murray in athletics, cricket, and rugby. He was a member of the 7th Form Social Committee and wrote articles for the school newspaper, Quasar.

He won the 1980 Manawatu Inter-secondary schools 800m title, not a bad effort for a front rower. He also did well in the shot put. Hamish was selected for the 1982 1st XV, a team that would compete in a tournament in Taiwan. He again made the 1st XV in 1983, where he was “only once out-propped”.

Hamish’s career after leaving school started with 2XS Radio in Palmerston North where he covered news and sport as part of both the Mike West and Baldrick Breakfast Show, and with Chris Burn on Burnzee’s Breakfast, on what is now the Breeze. Hamish then convinced his boss Steve Rowe to give him a shot at commentating and for the next five seasons Hamish commentated Manawatu rugby games home and away.

Hamish made the finals of the National Radio Awards in his second year, and he was given the opportunity to cover the All Blacks’ end of year tour to France and Italy. From there he worked briefly for WTN News in London before returning to New Zealand and taking up a position with TV 3, with whom he would remain for more than twenty years.

During his time at TV 3 Hamish was rugby editor for fifteen years, and was sports anchor for ten years; he covered four Rugby World Cups, leading TV 3’s commentary and coverage of the 2007 RWC.

Hamish continued to work in radio, including the Radio Hauraki Breakfast Show, Radio Pacific and Radio Live Breakfast. He was co-host of the award-winning Sports Confidential and The One-Eyed Rugby Show.

Over the last six years Hamish has anchored the Rural Exchange radio show, mainly with Richard Loe. Hamish was named NZ Agricultural Broadcaster of the Year in 2023 for his coverage of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Judged the People’s Choice Best Television Sports Presenter five times, Hamish was also awarded the NZ Radio Awards best Sports Show or Presenter and he has been a finalist at the Halberg Journalism and Qantas Media Awards many times.

Hamish’s rugby commentary career saw him call more than ninety test matches and three hundred first-class matches on radio and television across six continents.

Hamish would also like me to mention that some of his best work was as McKay-ver on Pulp Sport in sixty episodes over six years.

Barry Mora

Chris Mora - Barry Moras' son , David Bovey — Image by: PNBHS

Barry attended Boys’ High from 1954-59 and he was in Albion Club.

Barry had a fine all-round record at Boys’ High. He did well academically and was first in Upper VI music in 1959. He was also a fine athlete who excelled in the sprints and jumping events both at school and at the Manawatu Inter-Secondary championships. He played rugby and tennis and was also involved in swimming.

Barry was also in the school A Shooting Team for two years, and he was in the team that entered the National Press Shield competition where he was the team’s best shooter with 99/100.

Barry was in the ATC (Air Training Corps) and he was selected at fullback for the Central Regions ATC rugby team. He was in the school’s 1st XV in 1958 and ’59, and he “played some fine inter-school games” according to the coach, Mr Colquhoun.

In 1959 Barry was a School Prefect, Vice-captain of the 1st XV and Albion Club Secretary.

The scene for his future was set when in 1959 he played a leading role in the school’s original opera, The Southern Belle.

After leaving PNBHS Barry joined the New Zealand Broadcasting Service, and one of his first roles was with the 2ZA radio station in Palmerston North. He subsequently moved to Tauranga on transfer, where he was to take his first singing lessons and get involved in amateur theatre. Barry then moved to Wellington where he took up a role in the management of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, which provided him with opportunities to expand his singing performances throughout the country in opera and as a concert soloist.

After making his professional debut in New Zealand in 1971, Barry and his young family moved to London where he studied under the eminent baritone Otakar Kraus. In 1976 he secured a position in Gelsenkirchen, Germany where he soon became principal baritone. It was here that Barry learned many roles in the standard repertoire, in particular Verdi, Puccini, Mozart and Wagner.

Barry’s talent for languages and reputation as a hard worker and quick learner were great assets, and in 1980 he joined the Frankfurt Opera House where he had a highly successful career for the next seven years. Frankfurt Opera also allowed Barry the opportunity to make guest appearances for other companies, and he performed in Aachen, Heidelberg, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Zürich, and Copenhagen.

In 1987, Barry moved to Cardiff and became a freelance performer, appearing with the Welsh National opera, along with engagements at Covent Garden in London, as well as in Vancouver, Japan, and Barcelona.

In 1990 Barry returned to New Zealand, although he continued to accept work overseas, performing in Australia, Barcelona, and Buenos Aires. He performed with opera companies in Canterbury, Wellington, and Auckland and continued to perform well into his seventies. His experience and professionalism helped a generation of up-and-coming New Zealand opera singers, and he was hugely respected throughout the opera community.

Barry died in October 2021 at the age of eighty-one.

We are so pleased that Barry’s son, Chris, is able to join us this evening and I would like to invite Chris forward to receive Barry’s award…

Mike West

Mike West, David Bovey — Image by: PNBHS

Mike, or Blain Yarrall as he was known at school, attended Boys’ High from 1974-78 and he was in Phoenix Club. While at school Mike was involved with tennis, basketball, Harriers, and Weightlifting.

But athletics was his main sport. He was a member of the successful Phoenix 4 x 100 metre relay teams that won their event four years in a row, from 1974-77 setting school records along the way. Indeed, he was part of the junior Phoenix team whose record, set in 1975, still stands today, having been equalled in 2004, but never bettered.

In 1976 he placed 1st in the Intermediate 100m in 11.9 seconds and was 2nd in the 60m. He received the Intermediate sprint trophy for these results. He continued to do well in the senior school, where he had a number of seconds and thirds in the 200m and 400m events.

Mike went from PNBHS to work at Wright Cars. While cleaning cars for a living, he saw a documentary about a new private radio station, Radio Windy, that had started up in Wellington. On the day of his visit to meet the programme director, the midnight-to-dawn announcer had just been fired, so as a 17-year-old he got his first job in radio. He stayed in that role for fifteen months before a different time slot opened up for him.

Mike moved back to Palmerston North in 1984 to host the afternoon show on the new private radio station, 2XS. He moved to Whangarei in 1987 to do his first morning show at KCC FM before returning to Palmerston North again where he joined the 2XS Morning Show in 1989. In the 1990s he and fellow PNBHS Old Boy Dominic Harvey (under his pseudonym Baldrick) were the breakfast hosts who won the New Zealand Radio Award for Best Music & Entertainment Team – Regional in 1998 and 1999 and were finalists in 2000 and 2001.

In 2005 2XS rebranded as MORE FM and Mike continued to feature in the regional and national ratings with his breakfast show. He won the New Zealand Radio Award for Best Promotion of a Radio Station as the 2XS FM Joker Mike West and was a finalist for Best Client Promotion with an underwater wedding.

Mike and Gareth Pringle won the New Zealand Radio Best Music and Entertainment Team award in 2005 and they were co-hosts on the breakfast show for 20 years. Mike and Gareth’s breakfast show were finalists in the Best Music Breakfast Show category eleven times, winning in 2011 and 2014.

In 2013, Mike was recognised at the New Zealand Radio Awards for his services to broadcasting, and when celebrating 30 years of breakfast radio, Mike was referred to as “Manawatu radio royalty.”

Mike retired after 34 years as a breakfast show host at the end of 2023 and took up a new role as GM at the Kinloch Golf Club, Lake Taupo.

Mike has always been one of our biggest supporters, and I always enjoyed our on-air catchups over the years; it is a pleasure to welcome Mike to the lectern this evening. Mike…

Regional FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year