2017 Inductees

Adine Wilson - Netball

Born in Hāwera, Adine attended Hāwera Primary, Intermediate and High Schools. Through her schooling years, Adine played in a range of Taranaki age group netball teams and, as a year eleven student, was selected for the Taranaki Women’s team. From here she was selected to play for the New Zealand U21 team and represented them at the 1996 and 2000 Youth World Champs.

On 19 June 1999, Adine made her debut for the New Zealand Silver Ferns against South Africa. She enjoyed a successful international career of 79 tests which included captaining the team from 2005 until she retired from international netball in 2007.

Adine started her career as a shooter but found her niche in the mid court, specifically Wing Attack. Adine’s international career highlight was captaining the Silver Ferns to a Gold Medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne where they beat their old foe Australia in a tense final. Her career also included winning the World Championship in 2003 and being runner up in 1999 and 2007.

Since retiring, Adine has stayed in the sport by regularly commentating both ANZ Premiership and International matches.

James ‘Jimmy’ Hunter - Rugby

James was born in Hāwera and came from a farming family. After completing school in Whanganui he moved back home and joined the Hāwera Rugby Club. After outstanding performances for the club he was selected to play for Taranaki in 1898 at the age of 18. He played in almost every position in the Taranaki backline before settling on second five-eighth.

James joined the All Blacks in 1905 when he debuted against Scotland in Edinburgh. He was captain of the All Blacks on a tour of Australia in 1907 and again against the touring Anglo-Welsh in 1908.

James retired in 1908 having played 36 All Black matches with 8 of those as captain.

James was a prolific try scorer who crossed the line 48 times for the All Blacks. James still holds the record for the most tries scored on a single tour when he scored 44 tries in 24 games touring Britain in 1905.

In 2012 James was inducted into the All Blacks Hall of Fame.

Roger Cox - Shearing

Roger grew up in Moeroa (60km northeast of Eltham) on a 4,500 acre farm and is the third of seven children. After attending Feilding Agricultural School in 1965, he started his farming career locally working for Ray La Roche. After enjoying a stint at shearing, he was encouraged to take up shearing as a profession and in 1969 began shearing for a local contractor.

After a Wool Board Shearing Course in Christchurch, Roger was lifted from a senior shearer to open class. Roger started shearing for Frank Pennington, who had a contract in Taranaki, here Frank taught Roger the strategies of show shearing. For the following years Roger would shear in excess of 60,000 sheep per year.

In 1977 Roger won his first Golden Shears, earning him the privilege of representing New Zealand at the inaugural World Championships at the Bath and West Bi-Centennial Show held at Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Roger had an exceptional show and won the event crowning him World Champion.

After the World Championship success, Roger went on to win the Golden Shears again in 1978 and 1980.