Presidents Report
My fellow Kingsmen,
The winter months are receding, and there is a definite spring feel in the air. We have survived the financial fallout from the cancelled 90th and have finally managed to get the online banking sorted out with our new Treasurer, AJ Ashton. If you haven’t received your refund by the time you read this, please let us know, and we’ll get it sorted.
The King’s Birthday get-together at the Law Courts was a raging success – so much so that we might look at doing it again next year. The informal format and flexible arrangements for food and beverage have been very popular. Great to acknowledge the King’s legends – Bryan Frost and Neil Andrews – and have a beer with our wall of fame recipients. There is a tinge of sadness attached to all this – it was Kingsmen Life Member, Hugh Kidd’s last real school outing before he passed away on 10th June 2026. Hugh had a great day. After attending the wall of fame assembly, I thought that might have been him for the day, but he was determined to make it to the Law Court for the get-together too. You can’t keep a good King’s Man down!
The First Fifteen Rugby boys have finally hit their straps – first up, an excellent win against Otago Boys, and on the weekend, an ugly win against John McGlashan by the narrowest of margins.
The South Island-wide competition has been hard going for our guys, but they have stuck at it and are still in the hunt to finish on a high.
They are down to the business end of the season now; we play Otago Boys’ First XV at King’s at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, 8th August 2026.
Southland Boys host John McGlashan in the other semi, and it would be a major upset for Johnnies to tip them over.
I am predicting a Southland Boys vs. Kings final in Invercargill on Saturday, 15th August 2026, but first, we have got to knock OBs over.
If we make the final, we should send a posse south to support the boys.
If we make the final, we should send a posse south to support the boys.
School Open Night.
The school hosted its Open Night recently, attracting numerous parents and prospective pupils interested in enrolling their sons at King’s next year. I went along, and the efficient organization of the open night impressed me. The feedback from the parents was very positive; it was apparently better run than the OBS and Johnnies open nights, those two being our obvious competition for next year’s third formers.
Well done to Nick and his team, and we look forward to a healthy intake again next year.
Enjoy the read and I hope to see you at the Kings Community Clean Up on Sunday 20th September 2026 and the end of year Christmas luncheon at the Village green at noon on Wednesday 16th December 2026 .
Chris
