Jamie Searle Article

[JJ Flash]

Jamie Searle - terminal but thankful

Excellent article by

Michael Fallow about a champion of the South

 

May 17, 2025

 

Wingatui trainers Terry and Debbie Kennedy, former top South Island jockeys, visit Jamie Searle at the Otago Community Hospice in Dunedin this week.Supplied

Jamie Searle is pegging out with a strong sense of uplift.

The former Southland Times racing, sport and regional reporter has written thousands of stories for a community that is now gathering support around him as he faces the tail end of a terminal diagnosis for a rare and pretty brutal form of stomach cancer.

And now he’s become a story himself.

Word of his illness has sparked a detonation of support, making for an uncommonly busy deathbed as he fields calls and messages.

All the busier because his stricken situation, until very recently, didn’t stop him making work calls and filing stories from his hospital bed.

As he saw it, life in general, and the likes of Easter races in particular, were still providing news that deserved be put out there.

“Everyone’s got a story to tell.’’John Hawkins / The Southland Times

Tears come readily to him nowadays - “I’ve had my meltdowns’’ - but they’ve more often been of gratitude for the messages and calls he’s received.

It’s perhaps not easy for a modest man to say publicly, but he acknowledges that if there’s one phrase he’s found himself saying a lot, lately, it’s “I love you, too . . .’’

As for those messages - quick, Jamie. Pick an example.

“Oh, fundraising offers to get me special medicine. Too late, guys. But wasn’t that typical New Zealand? Typical Southland. They get behind you.

“I’ve had pillars all around me, helping me along the journey,’’ he said. “I’ll walk into a new world feeling I’ve been lucky. Done what I wanted in life.’’

Searle, 61, spent 36 years at the Times, 28 as a dedicated racing reporter, then moving into other sport, and community reporting.

Jamie Searle in his element.Nicole Gourley / The Southland Times

The Times was “more than home to me. It was a family,’’ he said.

He lightly describes himself as “the slowest reporter in Southland’’ but it has been a characteristic of his career that he has always strongly preferred personal contact to zip-zap phoned interviews.

From teenaged sporting up-and-comers to Anzac veterans, to just about anybody he’s ever met at an A & P show, he’s come to realise ‘’everyone’s got a story to tell’’ .

“You just need to spend a bit of time with them to get it: People live interesting lives.’’

When necessary, he’s stepped up to cover stories of conflict and reproach, but his nature and his professional approach have always been to more ardently seek stories of achievement and positivity.

Jamie Searle, listed among colleagues and friends.Supplied

His ardour for racing has never dimmed - he’s owned more than 200 horses in his day, typically those he’s assessed as deserving second chances.

He is an inductee into the New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame’s media honours board.

On industry racing programme The Box Seat, presenters recently shared memories and thanks for his “enormous’’ contribution to Southland racing, his support for the south, and his collegial presence as a man who would willingly lend a hand to anyone he could help.

An “enormous’’ contribution to the racing industry, in particular.Shaun Yeo / Stuff

The thoroughbred, harness and greyhound codes and Ascot Park Consortium have decided to name a piece of lawn that greets racegoers on their arrival at the venue the Jamie Searle Lawn.

He’s touched, of course.

“If they need a flash mower for it, I”ll buy one for them,’’ he added, brightly.

[scooby3051]

Sadly very few real journos left...hope he keeps up the good fight...one of the industry good guys over many many years.

[Tauhei Notts]

I saw that Media Honours' and was surprised that Pat Naden (Wrackler) did not make the list of journalists, nor did Dave Clarkson make the list of commentators.

Best wishes to Jamie Searle.

[High Sparrow]

I am very saddened to hear of Jamie's plight. Top bloke. I spent a memorable night with him at Hutt Park when he came north as a young journalist just starting out many years ago. I was showing him around the place and introducing him to fellow journos in the press box at the top of the stand. It was a good place to get out of the wind and rain that always seemed to assail the place as soon as they had a harness meeting there. Good memories all round and Jamie made it especially so. Go well my old friend.

[scooby3051]

Sad to hear of his passing yesterday...RIP thanks for all the great articles...you were one of the last good journos...thoughts with his friends and family.

[Winner69]

Nice touch spreading Jamie’s ashes on the track at Invercargill dogs today

[scooby3051]

2 hours ago, Winner69 said:

Nice touch spreading Jamie’s ashes on the track at Invercargill dogs today

His happy place.