"Big John" Manuel at the famous 2012 Heartland Championship final between the Coast and Wanganui at Ruatoria's Whakarua Park. Photo / File
"Big John" Manuel at the famous 2012 Heartland Championship final between the Coast and Wanganui at Ruatoria's Whakarua Park. Photo / File
Big John, the last of the "old time East Coast cowboys", has died after a short illness, aged 78.
John Manuel was a revered figure in rugby circles and the wider Coast community who presented an iconic image as the man on the white horse at Ngati Porou East Coastrugby matches.
The horse's name was Tore and his mane, tail and fetlocks would be painted in East Coast blue.
Visiting teams were "absolutely astounded", said Gisborne district councillor and former East Coast Rugby Union chairman Bill Burdett.
As a mentor he "revved up" the Coast team before kickoff and travelled to their matches in venues as far away as Oamaru in the South Island.
He was a mainstay in the East Coast sides of the 1960s as a lock and loose forward utility and was selected for the Poverty Bay-East Coast side to play the 1966 Lions.
John Manuel waits at the back of the lineout in a Poverty Bay-East Coast clash of 1968. Picture courtesy of Gisborne Photo News
Manuel was devoted to Rangitukia, the place where he said he had "shed tears and blood from infancy to adulthood".
He told TVNZ's Waka Huia documentary programme that his moniker as "the last of the East Coast cowboys" came from the Ngati Porou C Company of 28 Battalion during World War 2.
He was named after his uncle John who was killed on Crete.
Big in work ethic
Big John was not a reference to his size, but to his work ethic, he said.
In reference to the song — the 1961 hit Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean — he said, "I'm a good John".
His father, Henare, a shepherd, taught him to ride a horse.
A horse provided mobility and stature, he said.
Manuel was of that generation who were forbidden to speak Māori.
Big John Manuel wishes home side captain Rua Tipoki good luck before the team's famous victory against Wanganui in the 2012 Meads Cup Final. Photo / File
"Kua hinga te totara i te waonui a tane.
"Rest easy Uncle Big John.
"A man mountain in so many ways.
"A staunch rugby man for Waiapu and Ngati Porou East Coast and anything and everything Rangitukia."
John and Matiria, nee Pewhairangi, were married in 1962.
Manuel is also the loved father and father-in-law of Shayne (step-daughter), Rau and Jack, John and Yvonne, Andrea, Milton and Leah, and Russell and Cushla, and the loved koko of his many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
