‘Ferg’ Ferguson - From rugby great to radio waves
Born into a strong Kiwi rugby culture, Queenstown’s ‘Ferg’ Ferguson was knocking on the door of a long-held All Black dream when injury put paid to his rugby career.
However, it was his love of rugby that would eventually land him behind the radio DJ’s mike in Queenstown where he’s still firmly entrenched and popular 30 years on.
Fourth son of five Hamilton kids, Ferg’s Railway worker dad and mum always managed to keep the fridge filled. “We were part of the era when you headed out after dinner to climb trees, bike and play rugby with your mates.”
He quit school at 15 to focus on rugby. “It was all about sport for me,” grins Ferg.
Reaching the top in his Number 7 jersey was always the goal for Ferg, who played through the Waikato age-group sides. He played for the NZ Colts (U21) for two years, playing alongside the likes of Gary Whetton and (Sir) Wayne Shelford. The Junior All Blacks followed when he moved to Hawke’s Bay.
“I remember playing my blazer game for Hawke’s Bay against Canterbury when I got off-side and got belted by Billy Bush (All Black prop). I was in La La Land.” On another occasion he was charging down the touchline and copped it big time from Mark ‘Cowboy’ Shaw. “’Plenty more where that came from’ he said,” smiles Ferg.
It was a painful initiation for the ginger-headed Waikato kid, dubbed then as the next ‘Red’ Conway. Timing was important but injury stalled his ambitions.
Cricket was also big in summer – Ferg captaining the high school First XI and playing for the Waikato Secondary Schools.
After meeting wife of 35 years Jo, they married in 1988 and headed to Queenstown to work a winter before travelling.
After five weeks unemployed Ferg scored a liftie job with Peter Bennetts at Coronet Peak, earning very little, sometimes lucky if snow allowed three days’ work a week. Working nights pouring drinks at Skyline to boost funds he met lifelong friend and breakfast co-host Grant Stewart.
Four years driving tour coaches for Johnston’s Coachlines followed.
Ferg joined the local social rugby side, ‘The Killer Bees’. New Wakatipu Premier coach John Freer heard about Ferg’s rugby background and asked him to play for the Premiers, making him captain. “I’d heard the country rugby bus trips were good. We won the White Horse Cup and the competition that year.” A king hit from behind from an Alexandra forward left him with another broken nose. It was time to retire.
Ferg was a regular on local radio legend Chas Drader’s QFM Radio Sports Show, hosted by Robbie Freer. “Eventually Chas said, ‘Ferg, do you wanna be a bus driver all your life?’” He didn’t and with no experience took on the challenge alongside the likes of Andrew Patterson, Alexa Forbes and Grant Stewart. “It was sink or swim, but Chas was a great leader and mentor.”
“I don’t think I’d have gotten into local politics without that community focus at Q92FM,” he says.
“I went from sports lover to sports broadcaster – a big adjustment, suddenly interviewing people I’d admired on TV on my sports show.” To secure the big names he’d drop in ‘Queenstown’ and they were always keen to talk.
Initially Ferg and Andrew were breakfast hosts - The Morning Outlaws, before funnyman Grant Stewart and Ferg teamed up as The Odd Couple. Brendan Quill followed as Two Eggs for Breakfast co-host and all four were in demand as MCs - Ferg, Grant and Quilly still.
“Grant was a creative, talented broadcaster.” Renowned for borderline, on-air impersonation pranks, The Mad Butcher the target of repeated unidentified calls. Famous sportsmen in Ferg’s ‘little red contact book’ got anonymous calls every Christmas. “So much went on that’s best left unsaid,” grins Ferg. “Radio was not like it is now.”
Technology advances caused a bit of strife prompting Ferg to accidentally swear at his equipment on air with boss Chas, instead of reprimanding him, ringing to say it was the best he’d ever heard.
After 12 years The Radio Network brought Classic Hits to town and Ferg was invited to make the switch.
Ferg says he couldn’t have clocked 31 years of 4am alarms and evening gigs without the support of Jo and his daughters.
For the past 10 years as a district councillor he’s juggled his busy council roles around work, still MC’ing far and wide for major NZ events.
“The positives far outweigh the negatives. It’s not the big stuff you do on council but being face to face with the community, listening and showing you care.”
A 2012 Kiwibank NZer of the Year Local Hero medallist, Ferg also chairs the Bruce Grant Youth Trust which won the Youth Impact Award - Spirit of Wakatipu 2022, and he’s a Te Atamira trustee.
