Celebrating champions. Photo: Designecologist, pexels.com
Two Cambridge identities made the 2026 New Year’s Honours List – Judith Hamilton becomes an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for her services to rowing and Kevin Burgess a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to governance, the community and sport.
Judith Hamilton
Senior writers Mary Anne Gill and Viv Posselt caught up with them at Karāpiro where they live on opposite sides of the lake that plays such an important part in their royal recognition.
Two other Waipā people were also honoured – Judge Coral Shaw of Pirongia becomes a Dame for her services to public service the judiciary and the community and Waikato University professor Tom Roa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato, Ngāti Apakura) a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for his services to Māori language and education.
There were other Cambridge people who enjoyed success as 2025 ended and 2026 got underway.
Kevin Burgess
Read about Kaleb Westlake (paraclimbing), Nick Collier (kayaking), Corban George-Potterton (Special Olympics), Rob Waddell (Business), Amelia Meertens (Teaching), Brendon Cameron and Mike Rodger (coaching, Halberg awards), Devon Briggs (para cycling/Halbergs) and Emma Twigg (coastal rowing/Halbergs) today.
Waipā promotes itself as the home of champions – and we celebrate them in our first edition of 2026.
See: News in brief
See: Kaleb reaches new heights
See: Project gets te reo award
See: A trailblazing coach
See: Report ‘just the beginning’
See: Treasuring Tom Roa
Celebrating champions. Photo: Designecologist, pexels.com
