Philippa Stevenson column: Let's honour King with Sargeson statue

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=3558138

1 April 2004
By PHILIPPA STEVENSON

Like the rest of the country, I am grieving for our beloved historian Michael King.

Last month, King emailed me his support of a column that questioned the wisdom of Hamilton erecting a statue of Rocky Horror Show character Riff Raff to honour its author, Richard O'Brien, who had spent a bit of time in the city.

"What about Frank Sargeson, father of New Zealand literature, who was born in Hamilton and lived there for the first 23 years of his life?

"He is a far more worthy candidate for a piece of public sculpture in the city. We are appalled," wrote King, Sargeson's biographer, on behalf of himself and his wife, Maria Jungowska.

King was happy to have his view made public and I was delighted to join him in championing Sargeson for recognition in the city of his birth. Riff Raff has prevailed but King's tragic death should prompt an immediate rethink.

King deserves to be honoured in the Waikato, where he began the journalism that led to his career as our leading historian and where he spent much time at Waikato University.

In time, there will be other tributes, but now Hamilton can do nothing better than honour what amounts to his last wish - public recognition for Sargeson.

In one stroke the city will pay its respects to two men who gave more than most to the Waikato and the country.

When we lose someone close to us or, like King, someone most of us only admire from afar, we inevitably do a checklist. Did we tell them we loved or respected them? Did we thank them for what they gave us, care for them when they needed us and give them their dues when they were alive?

It may seem a big leap from literature to shearing, but supreme endeavour comes in all forms.
The New Zealand Shearing Championships begin in Te Kuiti today and there is a man taking part who is not being given his dues.

Champion shearer David Fagan is one of the country's premier sportsmen, a hero in the rural heartland but one whose athletic achievements have failed to win national recognition.

Among the 550 competitions he has won worldwide are five world titles, 15 Golden Shears crowns and 13 New Zealand championships.

Does he make it to the Halberg Sports Awards? No, not even as a finalist. Does he get recognition at the Waikato Regional Sports Awards? Barely - an incomplete mention in passing.

Is his name bracketed with other greats like Richard Hadlee, Susan Devoy, Sean Fitzpatrick, Russell Coutts, John Walker and Erin Baker? Not on your nelly.

As a 1980s Waikato Times farming editor, I once went looking for the faxed results of the Golden Shears. I was told the sports editor had them.

I checked to see what use the sports department was going to make of them. None. The results had been binned.

Many influential sport aficionados do not regard shearing as a sport, yet no one who has watched a shearing competition could doubt the physical effort, skill and competitiveness involved.

It involves animals. So do equestrian events, dog sledding, rodeos and fishing. All qualify as sport.

It is an occupation. Many occupations qualify as sports. Horses were once transport. Dogs still pull sleds. Car racing arose from motor industry testing. The list goes on.

Shearing writer Des Williams records that the first known shearing competition occurred at the Hawkes Bay A&P Show in 1902. Among other contests, official NZ championships were held in conjunction with Royal Shows from around 1945. Masterton's Golden Shears have been held since 1961.

Competitions are administered by the aptly named Shearing Sports NZ and, since 1990, the NZ Sports Foundation has contributed to shearing teams travelling overseas. Inter-nation contests are fierce.

Led by the Fagan family, Te Kuiti saw an opportunity to re-start the New Zealand championships, which lapsed in 1977, and relaunched the competition in 1985.

At this year's 20th contest up to 400 competitors - sportsmen and women - will display a staggering range of skill and athleticism.

Fagan, for instance, can shear a sheep in 48 seconds, and do it over and over again.

Those who doubt shearing is a sport need only visit Te Kuiti over the next three days.

Fagan, and his legendary forerunner Brian "Snow" Quinn, who will also be there on the night, should be the first to be acclaimed as newfound national sporting heroes. Life can be too short to miss opportunities to honour the great achievers among us.