Category: Sports Awards

After nearly two years of postponements due to COVID, the Bronwyn Kay Agency Sporting Excellence Awards finally went ahead last Friday and Saturday.  

The Awards were split between two days of filming at Rangāi Studio with Whiti Ora Chief Executive Stefan Pishief as Master of Ceremony.  

“The significant disruptions caused by COVID required us to find a new way to celebrate the amazing achievements of so many of our athletes, teams, officials, and community champions, and we’re really pleased we’ve been able to do so with this online format and the support of our sponsors. It was great to see our finalists and winners finally get the recognition that they so richly deserve.” said Whiti Ora Chief Executive Stefan Pishief. 

The 2022 Tairāwhiti Rising Legends squad, award winners, sponsors and supporters were split into small groups to be part of the production and accept their awards under Red Setting guidelines. Those who could not make it to the filming were still able to be part of the awards with a pre-recorded video displayed. 

“The production of the Sports Awards has been highly anticipated.” said Whiti Ora Event Lead, Debbie Hutchings. “The new format allows us to push the reach far beyond the traditional awards. It not only gives our local sporting community the opportunity to view the awards, but it can be shared globally to friends and family to celebrate the finalists and winners’ achievements.” 

Naming Sponsor, Bronwyn Kay Agency, announced the overall 2019-2021 Sportsperson Award recipient to Tayler Reid for Triathlon. 

“We were impressed with the calibre of sportspersons and proud of their achievements,” said Bronwyn Kay. “We were also super impressed and very happy with the format of the awards. Thank you for making the event extremely comfortable.” 

Whiti Ora would once again like to thank all their sponsors for their continued support and patience to make this event happen. 

The Bronwyn Kay Agency Sporting Excellence Awards video is available to watch here and you can view the images from the night here.

Tickets are flying fast out the door for the Bronwyn Kay Agency Sporting Excellence Awards.

Tickets can be purchased from the Whiti Ora (SGT) office, Level One, 74 Grey Street. Tickets are $70 per adult, $45 for under 16 years old, or $650 per table with up to 10 guests. Finalists and judges also receive a complimentary ticket which can be collected from the SGT office.

The Awards are to be held at Showgrounds Event Centre on Friday 11 February to recognise and celebrate the sporting achievements of the sporting community over the last 24 months.

The generosity from local sponsors and funders allows for the event to go ahead. We would like to thank all our local sponsors, and the wider community, for their ongoing support and contribution.

“It’s exciting that the awards can go ahead after the absence caused by COVID, as it’s important to recognise the outstanding sporting successes and contributions that have been made by so many in our community. We’re looking forward to a safe, entertaining night to celebrate the best that Tairāwhiti has to offer, “said Whiti Ora Chief Executive Stefan Pishief.

Due to the COVID Protection Framework and Tairāwhiti being in the Orange Setting, vaccine passes will be required to attend the Awards night.

More information about this year’s awards can be found here.

Nominations have been received and deliberated on by a panel of judges. A massive congratulations to all of our finalists!

We look forward to celebrating our region’s athletes, teams, clubs and coaches at the Awards in 2022. 

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Bronwyn Kay Agency Sporting Excellence Awards. The Awards is a chance to recognise and celebrate the sporting achievements in the sporting sector for the region. 

The qualifying period for the awards is normally twelve months. However, due to the implications of COVID-19 and the disruption on the sporting sector, the qualifying period has been extended from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2021.  

Major sponsor Bronwyn Kay said that they believe strongly in our community. “So many of our athletes go on to be great ambassadors for our region. As health and wellness are the main thrusts in life, this fits well with our ethos. Encouraging the young to be all they can be through sport, great coaches and strong relationships. Teaching teamwork which is the cornerstone of great businesses. We are so proud to be the main sponsor. We wish all participants well and know that winning isn’t everything. It’s how you played the game,” said Ms Kay.  

The awards celebrate the achievements of athletes, teams, volunteers and coaches as well as their dedication, involvement and contribution to the sporting community. There are 15 categories. Athletes can be nominated for Junior Sportsman and Sportswoman, Disabled Sportsperson, Masters Sportsperson, Sportsman, Sportswoman and overall Sportsperson. The categories for teams are Sports Team and Junior Sports Team. Coach Award, Official Award and Services to Sport are open to individuals. Clubs, groups and communities may be eligible for the Club Award, Community Impact or Event Excellence Award. 

Nominations can be completed here. Nominations close on August 16. 

The Awards Dinner will be held at the Farmers Air Showgrounds Event Centre on Friday 5 November and includes a three-course dinner, live entertainment and a Celebrity Master of Ceremony. Tickets for the event will go on sale in October. 

Following the disruption caused by COVID-19, and the Government’s advice to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, Whiti Ora has decided to defer the Bronwyn Kay Agency Sporting Excellence Awards until 2021. 

Unfortunately, our environment is ever-evolving and there is too much uncertainty at this time to reschedule the annual event for later on this year.

The prestigious awards offer our region the opportunity to acknowledge and pay tribute to the many fine sporting achievements by the sporting community over the last 12 months. 

A key component of the Awards is the generosity from all of our sponsors. We would like to thank all of our local sponsors for their continued support and understanding. 

Whiti Ora Chief Executive Stefan Pishief said ‘It is not a decision that we took lightly, as we know that our sports awards are a community highlight, and we have so many great athletes, volunteers, and providers of sport that deserve to be recognised for their outstanding achievements and contributions. However, we do need to ensure the safety of our community.’ 

The impact of COVID-19 disrupted the qualifying period where athletes, teams, clubs, and coaches could showcase their talents. 

Whiti Ora Event Lead Debbie Hutchings said ‘as a result of the cancelled 2020 Sports Awards, the revised qualification period for the 2021 event will extend to include achievements obtained from July 2019 through to June 2021.  We are mindful that some individuals and teams obtained incredible results prior to COVID and so we need to ensure there is an opportunity to celebrate these successes’

At Whiti Ora we understand how frustrating this must be for our community. However, we are planning to be able to come together and celebrate an even more extensive range of our region’s sporting achievements in November of next year.