27 June 2024, Issue 1216
One becomes two He’s arguably the most recognisable, and photographed, person around town – Ngatai Rd’s Johnny and his Native American alter ego. But turning heads these days is the young horsewoman on the Pinto riding with Johnny. Who is she?
For years Johnny has been a one-man band in full war paint and cultural regalia, charming and entertaining his way round Tauranga – his prairie, his hunting ground. Now it’s two horsepeople. And it’s exciting Ōtūmoetai. “Love seeing them – iconic locals,” they
said on Facebook. “Good on them for expressing themselves.” In the first part of this two-part story the 15-year-old Ōtūmoetai College student describes riding horses alongside Johnny as her “different side”. “What Johnny does is really cool, and I
totally wanted to do it too.” Today The Weekend Sun’s Hunter Wells meets the young horsewoman at her and Johnny’s special place – the paddock. And he recalls his first colourful encounter with Johnny. The first part of the story is on pages 2-3. Photo: John Borren.