VIP's and Honoured Guests

of the

2010 Waipu Highland Games

The Honourable Dame Catherine Anne Tizard, ONZ, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, QSO (née MacLean) (born April 4, 1931) was Mayor of Auckland and the sixteenth Governor-General of New Zealand, the first woman to hold either office.

Dame Catherine has graciously agreed to open the 139th Waipu Caledonian Highland Games especially as Patron of the Clan MacLean Association of New Zealand, for which we are doubly pleased as Clan MacLean has been elected as the Host Clan for the 139th Games. This is an honour the Waipu Caledonian Society bestows on Clans that has supported the Games over the years.

Dame Catherine was born to Scottish immigrants Neil and Helen Maclean, and grew up in Waharoa, near Matamata, in the Waikato region.

She went to Auckland University in 1949. It was there she met Bob Tizard and the two were married in 1951. The couple had four children but eventually separated.

Dame Catherine's first administrative role came when she joined the Play Centre Committee of which she later became president. She was then elected to the Board of Governors of the Eastern Suburbs Secondary Schools.

In 1961, she returned to university to finish a degree in zoology. In 1962 she became a part-time tutor for the Zoology Department and this eventually became a tenured appointment. She was elected to the Auckland City Council in 1971 and remained a city councillor for 12 years while working at Auckland University. In 1983, she was elected Mayor of Auckland, the first woman to hold that position. She remained in the job until 1990 when she was appointed Governor-General, a position she held until 1996.

Dame Catherine has been involved in numerous community groups including the Historic Places Trust, the Marriage Guidance Council, the Auckland Institute and Museum, the Auckland Theatre Trust and the Auckland Maritime Museum Trust.

Dame Catherine was awarded a DBE in 1985 and received a GCMG in 1990. In 2002, she was made a member of the Order of New Zealand.

On 9 October 2007 she was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 3rd Auckland (Countess of Ranfurly's Own) and Northland Regiment, a largely ceremonial role.

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GUEST DRUM MAJOR

Innes Jephson has been the Drum Major for Auckland and District Pipe Band for the last two years.

He comes from a long line of banding people stretching back to his Grandmother being involved in the Wellington Ladies Pipe Band in 1942.

His father and mother have both been in Pipe Bands in the Wellington Region, mostly with the Paraparaumu and Districts Pipe Band (Innes was previously the Drum Major of this band).

He has consistently achieved highly at both local and international competitions over the last 8 years and is currently one of the Education Officers for RNZPBA Auckland Centre.

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The host Clan for the 140th Games in 2011 will be elected at the AGM in June

2010 Host Clan