The former manager of Napier's Art Deco festival Sally Jackson says her new role as A&P Society general manager, which she starts next week, presents a range of challenges.
She chats to Mark Story
Does wearing gumboots come naturally to you?
I grew up in Llandeilo, a tiny south-west Wales town.
Llandeilo – it is easier to spell it, than say it – is in the mountains and so it rains a lot – like 288-days-a-year-a-lot! Which means everyone pretty much lives in their Wellies. We had a little bit of land with sheep, goats and some chattering geese and so I would be out there most days as a kid, just clomping around. Now? I have moved on to trusty Red Bands.
As a Welsh native, what do Kiwis have in common with the Welsh?
Singing. Tom Jones. Our love for mass male choirs (kidding!). No, rugby is our great-shared love – and every Welshwoman has their rugby stories. Mine? Though I was only one at the time, I vividly remember Andy Haden diving out of the lineout in '78 and McKechnie kicking the penalty. Oh, the injustice - All Blacks 13, Wales 12.
Even though I have lived in New Zealand for nearly 20 years, I will always support the Welsh rugby team first and then the New Zealand team second. And - one day, us Welsh, we will win against the mighty All Blacks.
You've been thrown in the deep end with the start of your new tenure aligning itself with the Horse of the Year Show.
It's a challenge, sure, but I can't wait. The Land Rover Horse of Year is such an important event for Hawke's Bay, bringing in millions to our economy, and the region is extremely lucky to have such a supremely well-organised event based here. On a world scale, it is one of the most important equestrian events that there is.
Many attest the Ruataniwha Dam debate deepened the town v country divide – is this something you're aware of/will work on?
Across New Zealand, I think town and country are increasingly disconnected from each other. Perhaps more so in the big cities than in the Bay: here, people are still just a short drive from the countryside and the primary sector. Moreover, I believe that the community here understands that agriculture and horticulture remains a dominant economic player that benefits a huge number of people.
But the cultural divide nationwide is definitely a thing. How do you bridge it? That is a tougher question and one I am looking forward to answering as I settle into my new job.