Jason Gunn, one of NZ’s most recognizable media personalities and skilled public speakers has lit up screens, stages and radio for over 35 years. The effervescent presenter, host, and communications coach is renowned for his professionalism, light heartedness, and ability to connect with any audience.
At 18, Jason became the face of New Zealand children’s television with ‘Jase TV’ and the long-running ‘Son of a Gunn Show.’ He went on to host many top TV shows including ‘Dancing With The Stars’, ‘The Rich List’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’. For 10 years Jason anchored #1 radio shows across New Zealand. He’s also worked behind the camera as an accomplished director, producer and writer.
For 23 years Jason has run TV production powerhouse “WhitebaitMedia” with his wife Janine, producing award winning shows like ‘What Now’, ‘Brain Busters’, ‘Bumble’ to name but a few.
In 2019 following a major health scare, Jason realised a long-held dream of starting his own communications training company, “Easily Said”. Today the thriving business teaches individuals and organisations how to communicate with confidence and master the art of storytelling.
Living on a lifestyle block, Jason is still learning to drive a small tractor. He adores being “Pop Gunn” to his granddaughter who he is currently teaching to make the sounds of Star Wars. Jason is an Ambassador for ‘Big Buddy’ and ‘The Maia Foundation’, an Artistic Patron for ‘The National Youth Theatre’.
A crowd favourite with a strong social media following and a busy schedule. For Communications Coaching, Team Workshops, One-to-one Sessions or having Jason speak at your next event, please get in touch – [email protected]
Billy has umpired 200 cricket one-day internationals and 84 test matches in his top-level cricket umpiring career, as well as 345 list A games. He has also umpired four world cup matches.
Billy is known for his dramatic signalling style which includes the famous “crooked finger of doom” out signal. He is a proud ambassador for Arthritis New Zealand and an extremely proud New Zealander.
My Name is Shaane Fulton (22), I grew up in Nelson & I have been based in Cambridge for the last 4.5 years. I’ve spent my whole life on two wheels, across many different codes as a junior.
Now a specialised track sprinter, I’ve been part of the National Team since 2020, yet to have my international debut in the elite ranks after joining the team over zoom during the first lockdown, and more recently coming back from long term injury which resulted in a hip surgery in February 2022.
Coming out the other side of that now, I am back training full time and in preparation for World Champs later this year and the Olympic games next year. I plan on having a long career and I am excited to see what that will bring.
Sir Graham William Henry KNZM is a New Zealand rugby union coach, and former head coach of the country’s national team, the All Blacks. Nicknamed ‘Ted’, he led New Zealand to win the 2011 World Cup.
Sir Michael Niko Jones KNZM is a New Zealand former rugby union player and coach. Jones was a member of the Auckland team which dominated New Zealand rugby in the late 1980s and 1990s, and the Auckland Blues team which won the first two Super 12 championships, in 1996 and 1997.
Born in New Zealand and based in Auckland, Kai Kara-France is a top-ranked UFC Flyweight, currently holding the #3 position in the world. He trains at City Kickboxing, named the “gym of the year” in 2022. Having competed for the Flyweight world title, Kai is set to headline a UFC card in Las Vegas on June 3rd.
Sam Manson, 31 year old based in Christchurch. In February 2023 he became Coast to Coast Multi-sport World Champion, a prestigious endurance race in the South Island of New Zealand. Sam was light on sport as a teenager and began his journey after he finished high school in 2009. Since 2013 he has competed in the Multisport World Championships 9 times and been in the top 10 every attempt with 2023 being his first win.
The journey created many opportunities such as major wins in stage races in China in 2015 and 2019. He has won many endurance downriver kayaking races, trail running races and other major multisport events in New Zealand.
2023 plans are to compete in the Are Extreme Challenge in Sweden in July, the Nordic Islands Adventure race in the Faroe Islands in August and China stage adventure racing in September.
Sam is originally from Wairoa, Hawkes Bay. His childhood home and parents were affected majorly by the February floods as the Wairoa river breached their land and property. Sam’s parents had just arrived home after celebrating the win in Christchurch to wake up the next morning to water rushing under the house and rapidly rising. Thankfully they made it to higher ground along with the dog and cat. The property, land and livestock were much worse off leaving a cleanup that looks impossible to achieve. This fundraiser certainly hit homes for him.
One of NZ’s and Australia’s brightest young netball talents. O’Brien made her Suncorp Super Netball League debut for the Swifts in 2017 where she had a fantastic debut season. She has also been part of the Under 17, 19 and 21 NSW and Australian squads.
Claire has played for the NSW Swifts and the Western Sydney Giants before making the move across the ditch to NZ where she is currently playing for the MG Mystics
Grace O’Hanlon is a New Zealand field hockey player for the New Zealand national team – The Black Sticks.
She participated in the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup, and 2020 Women’s FIH Pro League.
Hammer Thrower Julia Ratcliffe is an Olympian and three-time Commonwealth Games medallist. She was coached by her father Dave.
Ratcliffe made her first Olympic appearance in Tokyo with an impressive 73.22m throw in the qualifying round. She went on to finish 9th in the final with a best throw of 72.69m.
At Commonwealth Games level she has won two silver medals (Glasgow 2014, Birmingham 2022) and one gold medal (Gold Coast 2018). Ratcliffe is a Princeton University graduate and works for the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation in Portfolio Completion.
Maggie Squire is a 17 year old Springboard diver and has lived her entire life on Auckland’s North Shore. Maggie has trained at Auckland Diving from the age of 8 and is passionate about the sport. She has been New Zealand Champion in various age groups and events since 2016 and is the current New Zealand Open Women’s 1m and 3m National Champion.
Squire was selected onto a Diving New Zealand National Team at the age of 13 and competed in her first FINA Grand Prix events at 14 years old, making the semi-final of the 3m Springboard in the Kuala Lumpur Grand Prix, Malaysia, 2019. Maggie most recently competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as the youngest athlete on the New Zealand Team.
Mike Stanley has enjoyed a wide-ranging career in sports management as the former CEO of Rowing NZ, board member and President of NZ Olympic and Commonwealth Games Committee, chair of NZ Academy of Sport and a director of High Performance Sport NZ. He is currently the CEO of AUT Millennium and Honorary President of the NZ Olympic Committee. Mike was a NZ rowing representative from 1976-84 and was selected for 2 Olympic Games. He was a member of the NZ rowing eight which won back-to-back world championship in 1982 and 1983, finishing 4th at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Mike was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 and shared the NZ Sportsman of the Year trophy with the 1982 world champion crew. Mike has coached for over 20 years at school and club level with the North Shore Rowing Club, of which he is President. Mike also volunteers his time as Chair the Hobsonville Marine Sport and Recreation Centre Trust, NZ Olympic Foundation and Kauri Rescue Trust.
A training partner in 2022 while playing for the Northern Marvels, it took little time for rangy defender Carys Stythe to make her mark and earn a full contract with the Mystics for 2023. The 2021 NZ Secondary School Player of the Year, Stythe made her on-court debut from training partner status last season and showed a maturity beyond her years in subsequent outings.
Tall and athletic, the in-circle defender had a fairytale start to her elite career with numerous on-court appearances where her footwork, speed and ball-hunting ability were standouts in one so young. Making a seamless transition to top-level play in her first year out of school, the 1.9m Stythe is an exciting talent and with more court time and experience under her belt, a bright future beckons.
Alan Whetton also known as AJ is a former rugby union footballer who played for New Zealand’s national team, the All Blacks. Whetton first played representative rugby for Auckland in 1981. He played alongside his twin brother Gary for both Auckland, and later the All Blacks.
Steve Williams MNZM is a New Zealander who has served as a caddie for several top professional golfers, most recently with Jason Day. Williams is best known for having served as Tiger Woods’ caddie from 1999 to 2011. Woods was the top-ranked golfer in the world for much of Williams’ tenure as his caddie.
*Steve Williams MNZM is the most successful caddy of all time with over 150 wins including 14 major championships. Steve has been on the bag for 3 former world # 1 Greg Norman, Tiger Woods and most recently Adam Scott. Steve retired in 2018 but has accepted a part time role with Adam Scott this year.
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