A boys preparatory school for boarding and dayboys set in rural grounds in South Canterbury, New Zealand. School days are filled with sport, music, drama, academics, and great friendships.
Welcome to Waihi School's Blog. Find out about our exciting Celebrity Ties Global Auction. It's exciting because we are raising money for our fantastic new building, a boarding and dayboys facility that sets our school up for the future. We will also tell you about events at the school and what boys have been up to. Follow us now!
We are back for Term 3 excited about selling our Celebrity Ties in September on sella.co.nz. Our boys made their first video which is on YouTube - please check it out and give us your feedback.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2AtI6IcAE4
We will be editing more versions, and the more fun and amusing the better. We want you to help us by giving us your feedback. The ties we have are unique and special and the auctions will be fun to watch.
Your support matters as the ties are helping our campaign for a new boarding and dayboys facility - Pyne House.
We have received two gorgeous pink ties....if that is what you can call them. We are not sure if they have been sent to us because they were not wanted or our preferred option, because they are very out there and cool! Andy Murray's is on the right and David Farrier's is below.David Farrier is TV3's entertainment journalist, most often seen on Nightline, but sometimes allowed out at all times of the day. The tie arrived with Rhys Darby's, say no more.
This is what TV3's website says about David - in his own words:
"David Farrier here, and I like odd things. That's probably a bit broad, but it's true.
I like odd music, odd films, odd people and odd creatures.
I try to find them and then tell other people about them. That's all I do really.
I'm not sure if this is journalism or not, but it seems to be working out OK so far."
Leave a comment, if you dare - do you like pink ties? Who will buy this one and dare to wear it? Someone very cool, no doubt.
Look at this one -
Rhys Darby is a star on "Flight of the Concords" and now TV3's "Radiradira"
Very very cool tie.... why take yourself seriously all the time if you have to wear a tie, own this one!
The Prime Minister sent Tom Adams his tie. It is a stunning Kia Kaha clothing tie complete with a box he has signed.
Imagine yourself wearing John Key's tie to a meeting! Colleagues will ask where it came from for sure.
The tie alone is special and valuable, and an emblem of New Zealand. This as an outstanding souvenir for anyone overseas.
Watch here for how to buy this tie online in August.
Angus Harper helped us get ties from two more of New Zealand's rugby legends:
Laurie Mains has played a big part in developing New Zealand rugby. 'Laurie' Mains was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby in 1998.
The following information is listed on wikipedia -He is a former rugby union footballer and coach who represented New Zealand. Mains' representative career started when he first played for Otago in 1967. He made his All Blacks début in 1971, against the British and Irish Lions. His last Test was against Ireland in 1976. Mains' coaching career started with Otago, whom he coached for eight years. He was appointed All Blacks coach in 1992, and coached them to the 1995 Rugby World Cup final; where they lost to South Africa.
Laurie's tie is an All Black Tour Tied from 1993, with NZRFU and silver fern logos on it.
John Leslie is another international player who enjoys putting something back into rugby.
He played professional rugby in New Zealand for the Highlanders and in the UK where he was captain for Scotland 1998-2002. He now lives in Dunedin where he runs clinics for the most important players - our children and has a merchandising and coaching website www.leslierugby.co.nz with his father Andy.
This tie was presented to John Leslie for his 1st match played for Scotland.
This week we received Steve Williams tie. Shaun Coles' mother helped him get the tie for us. Wikipedia says Steve is a New Zealander who has been caddy to several top professional golfers.
Since 1999, he has been the regular caddy for Tiger Woods who has been the top ranked golfer in the world for much of Williams' tenure as caddy. He was famously fired by Greg Norman, who remains a friend, and later tried to re-hire him.
He is know for his generosity, and we appreciate the effort he went to sending his his lovely signed tie. Fancy yourself wearing this one?!
Waihi boys were excited to have author, Ken Catran visit our school on Friday 30 April. He spoke of his interesting life of writing. Before he left he signed a tie to help our Centenary Campaign for Pyne House, a new boarding and dayboys facility.
The New Zealand Book Council says this about Ken Catran:
Catran, Ken (1944 –) is a children's writer and scriptwriter who has written for some of New Zealand's best-loved television series including ‘Close to Home’ and ‘Shortland Street’.
His novel Voyage with Jason (2000) won Best in Senior Fiction and was named Book of the Year at the 2001 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. A second novel, Talking to Blue (2000) was also shortlisted in the same category.
In 2007, Catran received the Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award for distinguished contribution to children's literature. In the same year, he was the Writer in Residence at Waikato University. ‘Ken Catran writes well,’ writes Jo Noble in Well Read. ‘Hes compelling, he puts the reader right there sharing all the horror, the fear and the hopelessness with his characters.’
Ken's advice to budding writers was to never end a story with "and then I woke up"! He has judged many writing competitions and he has seen this device used too many times.
We are delighted to receive 2 ties from our Waihi School Foundation Patron, Sir Tim Wallis.
The blue tie is a special Spitfire Mark XVI tie which has been worn at airshows and aeronautical occasions by Sir Tim.
The brown tie is a New Zealand Deer Association tie and worn to many conferences and meetings in the deer industry which Sir Tim pioneered in New Zealand.
Tamati Coffey signs a tie when he was at Caroline Bay. See on the right Henry Rolleston, Hamish and Reuben Woods, Alex Wilson and Luke Elsen.
John Campbell sent us his tie but it is not signed. Please sign it on air for us John or come and see our boys with your news crew!
His certificate says "I wore this tie on air - quite a few times! I always felt amazingly handsome in it - and I am sure that had I been single and gone out on the town it it, it would certainly have pulled dozens of chicks!!! Thanks for supporting Waihi School. Lots of love John xxxx"
Paul Holmes got his signing write - right across the front! What a special tie! Wouldn't you love to be seen in this one, great conversation starter!
His certificate of Authenticity says "I wore it once"
Matt Watson sent a great package. His signed photo says "Waihi Boys - Fishing Rocks!"
Nathan Twaddles New Zealand team uniform tie from his first ever selection for New Zealand. Nathan won bronze at the Beijing Olympics with George Bridgewater. They were World Champions in 2005, and silver medallists in 2006 & 2007. Right: Eric Murray's tie "Tie was worn as part of Inaugural 'Great Race' for Waikato University 2002". Eric is double World Champion rower.
Waihi is a small rural boys primary school in the South Island of New Zealand, just 112 boys!
The school is 102 years old and the boarding house looks a bit like it!It has worn out and is too small.So the boys have taken it upon themselves to get a new one built hence the fundraising.It’s a big challenge but one we have let the boys instigate, plan and execute!
The boys have written to prominent men all across the world to see if they could get signed ties for a global auction.With great success they have secured some ties from Donald Trump and some amazing sporting greats such as Jonny Wilkinson, Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Roger Federer and Nathan Twaddle…Wow.But you guessed WE NEED MORE!
They have tasked us the parents to help rev up the tie return by networking around the world with friends, family and contacts.SO HELPPPPPP!
So if you know anybody famous, a sporting legend, political figurehead, a TV personality, a global superstar then can you please ask, cajole, or beg for a tie for the boys?
We need their signature on the tie and the certificate of authenticity, so that we can prove it’s them.The certificate is attached for them to print and send with the tie.
We’re going to auction all the ties we get from the 1st June until the 21st 2010, on a global auction site and the money will go to our boarding house…how exciting.
To keep you informed and part of this great boys initiative we are on the following social sites.
The rugby legends are joining the fun!
Top left: We have a tie and shirt from Buck (Wayne) Shelford. The t-shirt explains his career. Middle: Sir Colin Meads, New Zealand's favourite old time All Black. Bottom left: Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith, assistant All Black coaches.
Above left: Paul "Fatty" Vautin :Vautin has hosted The NRL Footy Show since 1994, propelling him to TV stardom. Middle: Wendell Sailor former NRL player with the Kangaroos and also played rugby union with the Wallabies, on the Footy Show panel. Below: Benji Marshall described as West Tigers NRL superstar, co-host of the NRL Footy Show
Any other tennis stars want to send a tie....supporting a great cause for our boys. You can buy these ties on eBay 1 June 2010, and support our boys plan for a new boarding house.
Matthew Hitchings was delighted to receive a tie from astronaut James Lovell. Wikipedia says this about Captain Lovell:
James "Jim" Arthur Lovell, Jr., (born March 25, 1928) is a former NASAastronaut and a retired captain in the United States Navy, most famous as the commander of the Apollo 13 mission, which suffered an explosion en route to the Moon but was brought back safely to Earth by the efforts of the crew and mission control. Lovell was also the command module pilot of Apollo 8, the first Apollo mission to enter lunar orbit. Lovell is a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon, and the only person to have flown to the Moon twice without making a landing. Lovell was also the first American to fly in space four times.
Further information says Captain Lovell is the world's most travelled man, having done the most miles, much of it in jet propelled aircraft and space ships. He is an inspiration to our boys and especially Matthew. The message from James to Matthew was "A school like yours gave me this tie".
Waihi is a boarding and day school for 8-12 year old boys in South Canterbury. It is set in a unique rural environment with expansive park-like grounds and playing fields where a healthy lifestyle complements quality education. Waihi School opened in 1907 and is owned and operated by the Waihi School Trust Board. Currently 114 pupils are enrolled. As an Independent school, all of the buildings are funded through fundraising.
We are back for Term 3 excited about selling our Celebrity Ties in September on sella.co.nz. Our boys made their first video which is on YouTube - please check it out and give us your feedback.
