Listen to The Country online with Jamie Mackay: The Country celebrates 30 years

Today the host of The Country, Jamie Mackay, celebrates 30 years of broadcasting.

Today on The Country radio show, host Jamie Mackay celebrates 30 years of broadcasting live from the Hokonui studio with co-host Grant Nisbett - founding partner of Radio Hokonui Ltd and legendary rugby commentator.

On with the show:

Sir Bill English:

We catch up with the former National MP for Wallace, and former Prime Minister, who reckons Mackay had “a lot of guts” to stop farming and take up the mic. He reflects on a long political career and comments on the current government. He also reveals how his farming background helped him in politics.

Warwick Catto:

The 1995 Young Farmer of the Year, and the man responsible for backing the show from day one through SouthFert (later became Ballance Agri-Nutrients). He pays homage to The Country’s legacy and remembers the legendary Christmas parties of the early years, saying “Thank goodness social media wasn’t around back then”.

Don Carson:

The Wool Board’s PR man from 1993-2000 and our second-to-longest serving correspondent. He commends Mackay for ignoring every sales rep who told him there was no commercial future in rural broadcasting.

Graeme Smith and Tim Myers:

The former marketing manager for Ballance Agri-Nutrients and the former chief executive of Norwood - both instrumental in getting the show nationwide - comment on the importance of maintaining friendships outside of business.

Murray Deaker:

The self-proclaimed star of our Sunday Sports Show in 1994 reminisces about being on air with the team he used to refer to affectionately as “the Hayseeds from Gore”.

Chris Russell:

The Country’s Australian correspondent is also the longest-serving since 1994 - only missing one interview in 2004. However, he had a good excuse - he’d had a heart attack the day before and his wife wouldn’t let him talk on air.

Listen below: