Cambridge crash victim remembered as ‘amazing’ person with ‘the most welcoming smile’
Monday, 27 July 2026
Tributes are flowing for the Cambridge woman killed in a serious crash on Friday.
Judy Moreland, who had strong links the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic netball team as a former board member, died after an incident involving a heavy vehicle and a push bike on Victoria Rd.
The site was not far from the Hautapu Sports Club to which she and her husband Ken ‘Jake’ Moreland had dedicated decades of service.
Current Magic co-captain Erena Mikaere told the Waikato Times Judy will be “deeply missed by many’’.
“Judy was a beautiful person with the most welcoming smile and such a lovely heart.
“This is absolutely gutting news and it’s such a massive loss for our whole zone.
“One of the things I’ll treasure most are her messages before every game, I always looked forward to them and they meant more to me than she probably knew.’’
A social media statement from Hautapu Sports Club remembered Judy as an “iconic’’ Hautapu netball supporter, past player and coach.
“Judy made an incredible impact with Hautapu netball over the years, and was a prominent New Zealand netball administrator who served on the board of directors for the Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty Zone. Deeply involved in grassroots development, she has a long history supporting regional teams and local school netball programs within the Cambridge Netball Centre.’’
Former Waikato Chiefs chief executive Gary Dawson knew Judy personally through his rugby relationship with her husband Jake. .
“She was amazing,’’ Dawson told the Waikato Times.
“Community to her was was very important. She was a fantastic supporter of rugby both at the community level and also at that provincial level of Waikato.
“She was a very generous person and very committed to sports, very committed to her community, and obviously, with her work with Waikato University and her research into education, a leader in that field as well.’’
Sport Waikato chief executive Matt Cooper said Judy had a “huge influence’’ on Waikato sport.
“It’s terribly sad news’’, he said.