Hori BOP explains why he has to buy his own tickets to Steamers games.
He's a fan favourite who's been entertaining the crowds at the Bay of Plenty Steamers' rugby matches for decades.
But Hori Bop, the team's unofficial mascot, has been benched - again - by the province's rugby union in favour of official mascot Steamie, who one supporter believes is "about as exciting as a warm bottle of beer".
As a result, Tauranga man Terry Leaming, who plays Hori - an overweight, raucous, hyperactive, pie-munching Steamers fanatic - is paying an estimated cost of $3000 a year to provide his brand of sideline entertainment.
The 65-year-old told the Bay of Plenty Times the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union offered him free tickets for this season, but the offer was withdrawn after one game without explanation.
Leaming believes the relationship has deteriorated because his image as a "big, fat, funny clown" was not what the union wanted.
But the union's boss says it wants to give a range of people a chance to be involved in match days, and that Leaming's behaviour had not met its expectations in the past.
Hori BOP at Tauranga Domain. Photo / George Novak
Next year will be Leaming's 20th anniversary as Hori Bop.
The character wears a spiky grey wig and blue and yellow face paint, hands out lollies to kids and entertains the fans at the games.
According to Leaming, the character was created in 1952 and had been played by two or three people. It was dormant for 12 years before he revived it.
He estimated a full season following all Steamers games could cost him up to $3000 for accommodation, transport, tickets, and other expenses. The lollies alone cost $300 to $400 a year.
Leaming said his relationship with the rugby union had gone through unofficial and official stages.
"To be fair, they [the rugby union] ... allow me into the games as Hori Bop, and they allow me to throw my lollies out to the crowd... I just do my own thing, basically," he said.
He said he knew "everyone in the crowd" and had a "symbiotic" relationship with the team's community.
Leaming believed the character was "not everyone's cup of tea" and in his view, this was the reason for the on-off support from the union.
In his opinion: "They don't see a need for Hori Bop ... it's because I'm a big, fat, funny clown, and that's not the image they probably want to have."
He said Hori Bop "came from the people".
"While [Hori Bop] has the support of the community and the [local rugby] clubs, he'll keep doing it. As soon as there's no support there, he'll jump on his bicycle and ride off into the sunset."
He felt offering Hori Bop free tickets would be "a lovely gesture" and the community seemed to think it was the right thing to do.
Longtime rugby fan Tommy Wilson contacted the Bay of Plenty Times after seeing Hori Bop paying for a ticket at the Steamers game on August 28.
Wilson said he believed the character represented community engagement and the spirit of sport that transcended "tribal, racial, cultural and financial barriers".
Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services executive director and Bay of Plenty rugby fan Tommy Wilson. Photo / George Novak
Wilson said, in his opinion, the Steamers' official mascot, Steamie, was "about as exciting as a warm bottle of beer".
The Steamie character is a cartoonish mask on a young man in Steamers gear.
In Wilson's view: "It's got no wairua, it's got no spirit - you watch the kids, hundreds follow Hori Bop around... [Steamie]'s never worked.
"It just makes sense to promote Hori BOP - everyone loves him."
Wilson urged the union to "listen to the heartbeat of the community".
Union general manager Neil Alton said Leaming's character "is not part of the official match-day experience that BOP Rugby delivers, therefore is not offered any free tickets to attend".
Leaming was welcome to dress up and attend games like any supporter, Alton said.
"The union has historically provided support for Mr Leaming to play a role in the match-day experience ... We are always looking at all options to provide the best experience possible for our supporters. We receive a range of approaches for different groups and individuals about being involved and try and support as many as possible."
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union general manager Neil Alton. Photo / Talia Parker
Alton said the union respected that Hori Bop had been around the Bay rugby scene for a long time but said the image developed independently of the union.
"Hori Bop is not owned by the BOP Rugby Union and therefore is not an official mascot of the Steamers.
"We are grateful for the support shown to the Steamers team from those passionate supporters [who have played Hori Bop].
"We have a number of supporters who pay to travel to games at home and away. The team loves and values the support."
Regarding Hori Bop saying his free season tickets were withdrawn, Alton said the union operated on "a game-by-game basis when considering our match-day activity".
Alton also said Leaming had behaved contrary to the union's "standards and expectations of behaviour".
Asked to clarify, Alton said he was referring to a sideline incident between Hori and the Hawkes Bay Magpies mascot Kahu the Magpie in 2011.
At the time Kierran Stafford, who was inside the Kahu costume, said Hori grabbed her beak, which she said cut off her air supply. She kneed him in the testicles and he "wobbled off", she told the Herald on Sunday in 2011.
Bay of Plenty Steamers' official mascot Steamie. Photo / George Novak
Stafford said Leaming later apologised.
In response to Alton's behaviour comment and recalling the Kahu incident, Leaming said from his perspective, it was "a bit of a banter" between mascots.
"I just played into the game and had a bit of fun, but of course then it [the incident]... morphed into an animal all of its own."
