Earlier this year we farewelled another orienteering stalwart. We asked Darren Ashmore a bit more about his dad. Michael Ashmore was a long-time member of the Central (later Auckland) orienteering club from the early 1980’s onwards. 

Michael started orienteering at a ‘have a go’ event on an iconic volcanic cone in Otahuhu, Auckland – Mt Richmond. After this first experience he was totally hooked, and he came home and announced to the family that this was his new sport. It was so much better than Harrier running! Michael’s sport at school was rugby and rugby league, but he always said he wished he had discovered the sport of orienteering earlier. Home was in east Auckland and to get to more orienteering events long distance travel was essential. There were the multiple trips to Woodhill Forest of course, but also very long (at least for the kids) day trips to go to events in the forests and gully maps around Rotorua and Taupō. One of his favourite orienteering areas was the famous Mamaku map, in the dark Douglas Fir forest in between Rotorua and Tokoroa. Then for large national events the whole family would drive all over the country, including to the big Moro and Milo – 7 day events in the 80’s, visiting iconic venues such as Naseby. These became big road-trips with a whole lot of friends from various clubs, camping together as they travelled across the country competing in events each day. Orienteering was more than a sport, it became a complete lifestyle focus!  

Volunteers at this time (and just like now), made orienteering happen. They brought the passion for the sport, creating a positive atmosphere for athletes, fans, and participants alike. The maps and courses took a lot of effort, the maps were printed offset with no controls. You would go to the registration tent to buy your map, then transfer the courses by hand onto your map. The clock was ticking as maps were marked-up, so accuracy and speed in drawing the course onto the map was an orienteering skill. There was often a map correction table, near registration, where you had to draw the changes/updates onto your map before going to the start. For major events the course map produced by the setter/controller were essentially hand printed with rubber circle stamps, numbers and rubber lines to connect the controls. 

Michael helped establish the Auckland Summer series and every year Darren remembers the whole family would go along and help out as coordinators and helpers. Michael continued this for about 10 years until Joanna and Alistair Stewart took over.  These Summer events bring together an outdoor community and introduce them to orienteering which contributes to the growth of the sport.

All the three Ashmore children represented NZ in Australia and around the world, and Michael kept orienteering, but couldn’t quite continue through to his 80’s as he had a very gnarly form of Parkinsons and he suffered from a loss of mobility. Despite his illness he still continued to help for as long as he was able, setting up and running the start area’s at Auckland club events until a year before died. He didn’t want a fuss in the end, so his casket was an engraved pine box, aptly named ‘Woodhill’, but he was sent off with a few of his favourite things. After his cremation his ashes were spread on one of his favourite maps near Auckland, around his final orienteering course. The family like to remember him by going up One Tree Hill which is where Michael set many of the Summer Series events.