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An exceptional polo horse, her clones, and a business betrayal

20 Jul 2025

The polo world has been rocked by a scandal involving an Argentinian polo legend and his favourite horse. Audio

Sunday 27 July 2025

On today’s show

8:10  Jack Watling: Drones and the Future of Warfare 

Dr Jack Watling, senior research fellow for land warfare at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and author of The Arms of the Future joins us once again to look at how the use of drones is transforming the battlefield. 

An fpv or First-Person View, drone Stalker, using fiber optic, flies during tests at an undisclosed location, on July 10, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Fpv drone Stalker - made by the Ukrainian company and has been tested, put into service to the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine, and received NSN codes. (Photo by Tetiana DZHAFAROVA / AFP)

Photo: TETIANA DZHAFAROVA

8:35 The Sunday Morning Quiz 

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back with his Sunday Morning quiz.  

Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC's infamous quiz show Only Connect, known for being both hard — and at the same time totally obvious.     

Wake up your brain and have a go!  

Sunday Morning Quiz image

Photo: RNZ

8:40 When photographs change the world 

As the prestigious international World Press Photo Exhibition opens this weekend in Auckland, we talk to veteran photographer and previous winner, John Moore. 

Moore - a Getty Images staff photographer and special correspondent - won the major accolade in 2019 for his powerful image of a little girl crying as her mother is searched at the United States border with Mexico. 

A two-year-old Honduran asylum seeker cries as her mother is searched and detained near the US-Mexico border, in McAllen, Texas.

A two-year-old Honduran asylum seeker cries as her mother is searched and detained near the US-Mexico border, in McAllen, Texas. Photo: John Moore

John joins us to talk about what draws his eye to an image and the power of photography in a digital world. 

Chinese migrants warm themselves under a cold rain after crossing the US-Mexico border, in Campo, California.

Chinese migrants warm themselves under a cold rain after crossing the US-Mexico border, in Campo, California. Photo: John Moore

9:10 Mediawatch 

The bitter battle over butter led bulletins this week, prompting a ‘please explain’ from the finance minister to Fonterra. But did the media miss the main point?   

Also: Sky TV taking on TV Three strengthens its options for on-screen sport, but the cash Saudi Arabia’s suddenly splashing could end up changing the picture for that too. 

Big money for butter - as seen on TV: 1News on Tuesday reporting the bitter butter battle turning political.

Big money for butter - as seen on TV: 1News on Tuesday reporting the bitter butter battle turning political. Photo: screenshot / TVNZ 1 News

9:40 Are we working harder now than ever?  

Melissa Swift

Photo: Supplied

Does it feel like you are packing more and more into your days at work and that your list of tasks just keeps growing? Organizational consultant Melissa Swift says you’re probably not imagining it. Melissa is a work strategist; she specialises in the human side of digital transformation and is the author of  Work Here Now: Think Like a Human and Build a Powerhouse Workplace.   She joins Jim to discuss how technology doesn’t always make our work-life easier. 

Portrait of a young female with a furrowed brow sitting at a table reading documents.

Portrait of young female sitting at table reading documents. Woman busy working at home office. Photo: Jacob Ammentorp Lund

10:10 Sam Neill: Best Song Eva 

Internationally acclaimed actor and much-loved New Zealander Sir Sam Neill is with Jim to talk about his latest TV show, Untamed and his choice for best song ever.... 

Sam Neill as Paul Souter in the Netflix drama "Untamed"

Sam Neill as Paul Souter in the Netflix drama "Untamed" Photo: Netflix

10:40 NZIFF with Sarah McMullan 

The New Zealand International Film Festival starts next week. Film critic Sarah McMullan is with Jim to talk about some of her favourites.  

Stars of the film Bati

Photo: Supplied NZIFF

11:10 John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs 

It's estimated thousands of books have been written about the Beatles but the latest, Ian Leslie’s John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs, has been described as ’a revelation’. Ian joins Jim to talk about the tempestuous, intimate, and incredibly creative relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. 

John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs Book by Ian Leslie composite author and book cover image

Photo: Allen & Unwin

11:30 Downsizing and how to avoid the pitfalls 

When retirement looms or the children have left home, many people are tempted to move into something newer, smaller and easy to lock up and leave.  Jim’s joined by John Gray, the president of the Home Owners & Buyers Association of New Zealand, to talk about the potential risks of downsizing, and in particular, what needs to be considered when opting for an apartment.  

builder

Photo: Unsplash / Abdul Zreika

 

Photo: Supplied

For those of you curious about the Sunday Morning show theme tune, it was written by Jim’s daughter, Rebecca Mora when she was 18 and studying music composition at Auckland University. 

‘Hatstand’ is the title and it was mastered by RNZ engineer Andre Upston.