Class Notes 2025

FROM THE COMBINED EDITIONS OF 2025 REGULUS

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MAY REGULUS

Graham Dowling (1954) has been elected as a life member of New Zealand Cricket. Graham had an impressive career, playing 39 Tests for New Zealand and captaining 19 of those matches. Notably, he led the team to its first Test series victory against Pakistan in November 1969. In recognition of his contributions to cricket and various organisations, he was awarded an OBE in 1987.

John McCaskey (1956) has been celebrated for his lifetime achievements in irrigation in New Zealand, earning a special commendation at the 2024 Zimmatic Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Awards. As a pioneer in Waipara, North Canterbury, John is acknowledged for his relentless determination and innovative efforts since the 1960s, which have played a crucial role in establishing the district as a prominent grape-growing region.

Mike Camm (1962) became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for his dedication to wildlife conservation. Mike has been a champion for kiwi and pāteke (Brown Teal) recovery for over 25 years. In 1998, he and his wife bought a 120-hectare property in Tūtūkākā, transforming it into a haven for these species. He founded the Tūtūkākā Landcare Coalition in 2003 and co-founded Kiwi Coast in 2013, connecting conservation efforts across Northland. Under his leadership, Kiwi Coast has trapped over 700,000 pests and seen the return of kiwi to previously silent sites.

Mike ‘Scrump’ Johnston (1974, Custodian of the College) has been selected for the New Zealand Over 65s cricket team following his outstanding performance as a member of the Canterbury Over 60s cricket team. The team will play in Christchurch in November.

Jonathan Price (2009) starred in the Court Theatre’s production of A Doll’s House. Jonathan has an impressive background, having completed his BA (Hons) in Theatre and English Literature from Victoria University. He further honed his craft at the John Bolton Theatre School and Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Étampes, France.

Sam Martin (2015) was part of the New Zealand polo team, along with reserve member Tom Turner (2022), who defeated England 11–8.

Shilo Klein (2017) was selected for the USA Men’s Eagles rugby squad. The team played a nine-test series in Europe, facing off against Portugal, Tonga, and Spain.

Blair Currie (2018), international and United States college sensation football goalkeeper, has signed with Melbourne’s Calder United Soccer Club for the 2025 season.

Kate Sproule (2018) won the People’s Choice category for the B&T 30 Under 30 Media Awards in Melbourne. These prestigious awards recognise the most promising young talents across various fields, including creative, strategy, and PR.

Three Old Collegians were celebrated at the 34th Trillian Trust Māori Sports Awards. Olivia Brett (2019, Ngāpuhi) was nominated for Senior Māori Sportswoman of the Year after winning the Gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in canoeing. Taiko Torepe-Ormsby (2021, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Maniapoto) was recognised for his participation in the 50m freestyle swimming event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Riki Ellison (1976, Ngāi Tahu) was inducted into the Māori Sports Hall of Fame. Riki made history as the first New Zealander to play in the NFL and win a Super Bowl.

Olivia Brett (2019) and her Women’s K4 Canoe Sprint team won Team of the Year at the 62nd Halberg Awards for their Gold medal performance at the Paris Olympics last year.

Mac Stodart (2019) was signed by the Otago Nuggets for the 2025 Sal’s NZNBL basketball season. After graduating from St Andrew’s, Mac earned a scholarship at Concordia University Irvine, before transferring to the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS). He has represented Otago and played for U16 and U18 New Zealand teams and made a significant impact with the Canterbury Rams.

Harness racing driver, Carter Dalgety (2020), won the Fonterra Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson of the Year Award. Carter had a breakout year in 2024, making history as the fastest junior driver ever to reach 100 career wins and clinching his first Junior Drivers’ Premiership with 67 wins. His success came despite spending three months overseas after winning the $15,000 Valachi Downs Young Scholarship, which allowed him to train and race in the United States.

Xavier Dickason (2020) won the University of Canterbury’s Ensom Prize, an essay competition focused on a specified topic relating to constructive policy to promote and preserve international peace and goodwill. Xavier’s essay looked at the role of small nation-states in advocating for regulations and restrictions on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems.

Zak Foulkes (2020) made his ODI debut for the Black Caps in Pallekele, Sri Lanka in November. Zak was presented with his cap by Canterbury Cricket teammate Henry Nicholls (2009). Zak also joined the Durham County Cricket team for England’s T20 Vitality Blast campaign.

Scott Janett (2021) and Cam Paul (2022) had their first-class debut cricket game for Canterbury in the Plunket Shield in late November. Cam became the 34th Canterbury player to achieve a five-wicket haul on debut. They were joined by new captain, Rhys Mariu (2019) and wicket keeper, Jesse Frew (2019) who made his debut a week earlier. Rhys also scored a double century.

Eight Old Collegians are currently playing College Basketball in the USA – Jackson Rhodes (2021), Karereatua Williams, Maddie Morrow (both 2022), Torin Ward, Lauren Whittaker (both 2023), Niamh Chamberlain, Ophelia Powell, Rafferty Powell (all 2024).

Jakarta Klebert and Hugh Nixon (both 2022) were part of the New Zealand Men’s U21 hockey squad which competed in the Oceania Cup, a Junior World Cup Qualifier event in Auckland. The team was runner-up to Australia.

Charlotte Roche (Deputy Head Girl, 2022) won the 2024 Women’s New Zealand National League Golden Boot, presented to the football player who scores the most goals during the season.

Four Old Collegians were named to play in the 2025 Super Rugby U20 competition in Taupō. Sam Mustchin (2024) and Couper Killick (2022) made the Highlanders U20 team, while Cylas Tauti and Radford Powell (both 2023) were selected for the U20 Crusaders team.

Tom Rae (2022) had an extraordinary 2024 in astrophotography. He entered and won five prestigious competitions: Milky Way Photographer of the Year, Winterstellar 2024 Competition, Royal Museums Greenwich Astronomy Photographer of the Year, Australian Astrophotographer of the Year, and the New Zealand Astrophotography Competition. Adding to his achievements, Tom is now sponsored by Nikon and will be hosting his own astrophotography workshops this year.

Penelope Taulafo (2023) was one of three proud recipients of the Sealord Scholarship. She is breaking new ground as the first in her family to attend university, pursuing a law degree at Victoria University. This scholarship, which grants $5000 annually for up to four years, will support her study fees.

Old Collegian athletes, Nikkita McIntyre (2023), Craig Varcoe (2009), Oska Baynes (2009), and Hugh Montgomery (2020) represented the Old Collegians in the Athletic Day Sports Relay to try and make it a three-peat against the staff, Girls’ prefects, and Boys’ prefects. They were also up against Phil Adams (1991) and Dan O’Reilly (2005), who were running for the staff team. The Boys’ prefects were victorious, but the Old Collegians will be back next year to take back the title.

2024 leavers were guests of honour at the annual Academic Assembly where students’ excellent NCEA results were celebrated. Aaron Moore (2024) was one of only 55 students nationwide to receive an NZQA Outstanding Scholar Award.

Sea-am Thompson (2024) has been awarded an organ scholarship to Magdalen College, University of Oxford. He will begin his studies in September 2025, pursuing a three-year BA in Music. Out of only 60 students worldwide, Sea-am secured one of the top two scholarships on offer this year. We believe Sea-am is our first Old Collegian to attend University of Oxford as an undergraduate. Magdalen College, known for its rigorous admission process, brings in just two organ scholars every three years. As part of his scholarship, Sea-am will perform seven times a week at the Magdalen Chapel. The organ he will be playing was built in 2023 and is the first of its kind to be constructed in the UK in almost 100 years.

Sam Lee (2013) has recently graduated from the University of Melbourne with a PhD in computational biology. He is now working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute in a lab researching metastatic cancer.

Jonte Butterfield (2024) was third in the Ski GP race at the Smooth-Air Products New Zealand Jetsport Nationals.

AUGUST REGULUS

Congratulations to Ben Taylor (2017) and his rowing partner, Oliver Welch, for their incredible victory in the Men’s Pair at the 2025 World Rowing Cup, held in Italy. The duo triumphed over the reigning Croatian world champions to claim the gold medal, which was an outstanding achievement on the world stage. The pair then teamed up at the Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland, where they took a silver medal in the same event against a Romanian pair. In a nail-biting contest, the Kiwis were ahead at the 500m mark, however, Romania drew ahead in the second half of the race. Earlier in the day, the Men’s Four, featuring Zack Rumble (2017) came within a couple of metres of qualifying for the A Final.

Dougall McLachlan (Pipe Major, 1972), Toby McLachlan (2007), Hamish McKerchar (2008) and Hamish McLachlan (2008) played with the Waimate Pipe Band at Anzac services in Waimate and Waihou Forks on Anzac Day. Their music was a heartfelt tribute to those remembered.

At the 138th AGM of Rowing New Zealand, Peter Midgley (1973) received a Service Award for his decades of dedication to the sport. From launching the South Island Masters Regatta to leading at Cure Boating Club and South Island Rowing, Peter has been a driving force both on and off the water. His hands-on work, leadership, and tireless volunteer efforts have left a lasting mark on the rowing community.

Alistair Cameron (1987) is the Technical Director for Cirque du Soleil’s big top show, Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities, which is currently touring Europe.

Andrew Brown (1995) is a world-renowned Olympic sailing coach with over 30 years’ experience coaching 420, 29er, 470, and 49er sailors at the highest levels, including World Championships and the Olympic Games. A 2004 Athens Olympian for New Zealand, Andrew is currently coaching in Turkey.

George Hampton (1999) is the Executive Director for Global Policy and Multilateral Initiatives at the United Nations Foundation, based in New York. He leads the Foundation’s engagement on multilateralism, the SDGs, and emerging global challenges. A former New Zealand diplomat and UN adviser on climate and energy, George has held senior roles in government and international policy. He is a Fulbright Scholar and Harvard Kennedy School graduate with expertise in law, diplomacy, and international economic policy.

Chris Peat (2002) competed in the South Island Firefighter Challenge in March, completing the course in an impressive 1:52, earning him a spot in the elite ‘LIONS DEN’ for finishing in under two minutes. Chris is a career firefighter at Christchurch International Airport Fire and is a volunteer firefighter in Rolleston. He is now heading to Dallas, Texas to join some of the best in the world for the World Firefighter Challenge in October.

Brothers Nick Boon (2003) and Matt Boon (2005) took on the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge in Auckland in May, to raise vital funds for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.

James Kennedy (2006) was selected for the New Zealand Men’s 35s Hockey team competing in Cairns in a three-match Trans-Tasman series against Australia.

Oska Inkster-Baynes (2009) blitzed through the Christchurch Marathon Men’s race in April, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 20 minutes and 20 seconds. He was over five minutes ahead of the next runner. This race marked a special milestone for Oska as he became the first person to win every Christchurch Marathon event distance – the 10km, half marathon, and full marathon, not once, but twice.

Maris Scanlon (2012) earned her MB BCh (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from University College Dublin, Ireland. She is preparing to match with a hospital in the United States to begin her internship in Emergency Medicine.

Richie Mo’unga’s (2012) rugby team, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, made history by becoming the first side to win two titles in Japan’s Rugby League One. This victory adds to Richie’s impressive collection of NPC and Super Rugby titles since 2015.

William Ernest (Buffham) (2014) and Hana Pearce (2019) will both be part of the Court Theatre’s summer musical, 9 to 5, opening in November. William is joining the team as Assistant Musical Director, while Hana will serve as Associate Choreographer.

Black Stick, Sam Lane (2015), went to Malaysia in June for the Vantage Black Sticks’ Nations Cup campaign.

George Boanas (2016) is taking on an incredible challenge, running over 2400km from Cape Sata to Cape Soya in Japan. With limited running experience but a powerful sense of purpose, George is doing this to raise awareness and support for Medical Aid for Palestinians, helping provide healthcare to those living under occupation or as refugees.

Britney-Lee Nicholson (2017) was selected for the New Zealand Futsal Ferns tour of China, building up to the 2025 FIFA Futsal World Cup in the Philippines later in the year. At the time, Britney-Lee was the current top goal scorer for the New Zealand Futsal Ferns.

Louis Newman (2018) won the Comunn na Piobaireachd 67th Gold Medal at the Hawke’s Bay Easter Highland Gathering.

Kayaker, Olivia Brett (2019) was named as a finalist in the Sportsperson of the Year – High-Performance Category for the Canterbury Sports Awards, for her gold medal performance at the Paris Olympics last year.

Rhys Mariu (2019) debuted for the Black Caps ODI squad, alongside recalled Henry Nicholls (2009), against Pakistan in a three-match series in April.

Joel Lam (2020) has been selected for the Manu Samoa squad for the 2025 international season. Joel is part of the team which faced Scotland at Eden Park and will play in the Pacific Nations Cup in August and September.

Rachel Holyoake (2022) and Harry Justice (2024) performed and competed with the six-time World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band in Canada. They are heading over to Scotland in August to compete in the Grade 1 World Championships.

Four Old Collegians have been selected for the Vantage Black Sticks Junior Men’s and Women’s squads which will represent New Zealand at the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cups later this year. The final teams will be named in October. Jakarta Klebert, Hugh Nixon and Harry Withers (all 2022) are heading to India in November, and Penelope Taulafo (2023) is off to Chile in December.

Ben Ashman (2024) was selected for a New Zealand Juniors rowing trial.

Coby Goode (2024) clinched the National Rowing Championship Men’s Club Double title at the Rowing New Zealand Coastal Beach Sprints at Orewa Beach in April. Representing Avon Club, Coby teamed up with Jamieson McConnochie from Waikato Club to secure this impressive victory.

Alex Shepherd (2024) was cast in the University of Canterbury Musical Theatre Society’s production, Mise-en-Scene, in May.

Siara Clarke (2024) achieved a third national ranking and won two individual New Zealand Championship titles at the New Zealand Highland Dancing Championships in July.