Photography: Eva Bradley.
One of TV presenter Lizzie Rangihuna’s early memories is her armour-clad dad on horseback in the The Last Samurai.
No one can remember exactly how Tīpene came to be a stunt double in the Tom Cruise blockbuster. But that same horse, Kōtiro, eventually came to live with Lizzie and her sisters in Taranaki.
“My dad is the reason horses became part of my identity,” says Lizzie.
“He shaped me into the horsewoman I am today.”
Lizzie, now 27, and a mother and accomplished horsewoman, has represented New Zealand internationally. She is also the host of Whakaata Māori’s Get Your Leg Over.
The new series sees her teaching well-known Māori, including wife and husband Sevens champions Shiray and Gillies Kaka, heavy metal band Alien Weaponry and several social media stars, how to ride.
“I never once thought I’d be meeting these famous people,” admits Lizzie.
“I just considered myself lucky that they were listening to me.”
Finding Her Place in the Saddle
Lizzie’s TV career – she’s also hosted multiple seasons of Hōiho Riding On – began with a chance encounter at a showjumping competition in 2019, when she spotted another Māori woman across the grounds. Growing up, she often found herself one of very few Māori at equestrian events.
Rather than changing who she was to fit in, Lizzie was determined to show the Māori values she treasured.
“I stand proudly in my taha Māori [Māori side], while also embracing my whakapapa Ingarangi [English ancestry].”
When she saw veteran producer Michelle Lee of Kapu Tī Productions at the event, she instinctively rode over and introduced herself in te reo Māori.
From Nerves to the Spotlight
Lizzie’s confidence impressed Michelle off the bat. Not long after that surprise meeting, she sent Lizzie a message asking if she’d like to host a TV series.
“I kind of thought it was a joke,” laughs Lizzie.
“But she was like, ‘I’m serious. We would love for you to host our TV show.’”
At first, Lizzie remembers, “I couldn’t even say ‘boo’ without laughing or wanting to cry in front of the camera. Now here I am.”
The Lessons That Last a Lifetime
Lizzie credits a lot of her success to mentors like Michelle and her producer husband Brent Job and her parents, who have always supported her dreams.
Her mum Liz Munroe, 66, was a Treaty negotiations lawyer, while her dad, known to most as Pāpā T, 75, taught at the kohanga reo and kura kaupapa [Māori immersion education] that Lizzie and her sisters attended.
“Mum would always say, ‘As long as you gave it a go, that’s the most important thing,’” recalls Lizzie.
“I think every equestrian show, I knocked a pole down, but that taught me that it’s not actually about winning – it’s about you and your hōiho [horse] giving it your best. I still take that approach in life.”
Lizzie hopes to set the same example for her one-year-old daughter Tangiwairua.
She enthuses, “When I look back on my journey, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for everything my parents have given me. Their gifts continue to guide me every day, and now, as a mum myself, my greatest hope is to pass those same gifts on to my own daughter.”
Passing on Her Love of Horses
Tangiwairua was always on set while filming Get Your Leg Over, often being cuddled by a member of the crew, several of whom were Lizzie’s whānau.
When one wairua [spiritual] ride – the pinnacle of each episode where Lizzie takes the stars for a trek over their own ancestral whenua [land] – was too long to be separated from her baby, Lizzie made a decision that felt completely natural.
“I put her in the front pack and she came with us,” says Lizzie, adding Tangiwairua was full of smiles during the adventure.
Looking ahead, Lizzie knows horses will always be part of her future, but her biggest goals aren’t another television series or international competition.
Instead, she’s in the process of launching an equine therapy programme so others can experience the healing power of horses that has shaped her own life.
“Horses taught me to slow down, to listen differently and to realise that not everything needs to be spoken to be understood,” reflects Lizzie.
“You learn trust, presence and respect through body language and patience. They are really the teachers – we humans are just the guide.”
Watch Get Your Leg Over Wednesdays at 7pm on Whakaata Māori and Māori+.
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