New Zealander of the Year Awards

27/12/2009

Stewart McKnight (1947-52) has been named a semi-finalist in the inaugural New Zealander of the Year Awards.

Stewart McKnight

He and Sir Eion Edgar, father of Jonty (1988-92), Hamish (1990-94) and Adam Edgar (1994-98), are the only Otago semi-finalists of 49 nationally, that number chosen from hundreds of nominations.

Both are semi-finalists in the senior New Zealander of the year category with Stewart also nominated in the local heroes category.

Stewart, has been involved in sport his whole life and is a life member of Otago Cricket and Otago Rugby, as well as a New Zealand Curling Association ice master. He won a community service award at this year’s Central Otago Awards, organised and hosted by the Central Otago District Council, partly for his leadership and management during the development of the Maniototo International Curling Rink in Naseby.
Awards patron Jim Bolger heads the judging panel, which includes Dame Malvina Major, former All Black Michael Jones, and broadcaster Jim Mora (1967-71).

Three finalists from each of the five categories — which also include New Zealander of the Year, Young New Zealander of the Year, and Community of the Year — will be announced in the first week of January with the winners announced and presented with their trophies by Prime Minister John Key in Auckland on February 3rd.