When it comes to cartwheels, Harper Sandford’s mum said it was very much “a Harper thing to do”.
But cartwheeling across a field and becoming an internet sensation overnight was not something they expected. Harper, 18, of Waihī, who was a big supporter of the Thames Valley Swamp Foxes rugby team, was responsible for running the ball on to the field for the second-half kickoff at the team’s game at Lyon Park, Whitianga, earlier this month.
After Harper passed the ball to one of the Swamp Foxes, he turned, struck a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) pose, and cartwheeled back across the grass before he made a few more WWE gestures as he exited the field in his gumboots.
Harper’s Mum, Natasha Sandford said she wondered if he would do some cartwheels. “And the next minute… he did some cartwheels,” she said. Natasha said they cracked up laughing because it was very much a “Harper thing to do – he just thought about it and just did it”.
Natasha shared the video to her Facebook page for her friends and family, and shortly after her phone “started going off the hook”. Not only did friends and family get to see Harper’s half-time performance, but the video of Harper was also shared on The Legend of Marty Banks Facebook page which has now racked up more than three million views.
The video also made its way to Natasha’s family in America, she said.
Even though it was “a bit dangerous” to go into the comments section, Natasha said, what she discovered was “100 per cent positivity” from everyone. The most common note Natasha saw was that people “really needed to see this today”, she said.
“And it actually got me quite emotional. I just thought, man there’s a lot of people out there hurting at the moment and finding things hard.”
Harper liked to make people smile with his cartwheels, she said.
But Harper’s cartwheels weren’t just for the field. WWE and cartwheel enthusiast Harper told The Profile he also liked to do cartwheels while out
shopping, in the carpark and at the supermarket. When Harper found out millions of people had seen his cartwheel video, he said it felt good.
He told his friends and teachers at Goldfields School about it, and said his friends like the video too. The popularity of the video also landed him interviews on TVNZ’s One News and Seven Sharp. But it wasn’t Harper’s first time running the ball out for the Thames Valley Swamp Foxes.
Harper had the opportunity to run out with team mascot, Swampy, for his debut ball hand-over. However, Harper thought he was there for a different reason. “You thought you were playing, and I started yelling at you to get off the field,” Natasha said.
“Well, the reserves on the sideline were laughing at me, and they were like, ‘run on Mum, get on there and get him – he’s not coming off’.”
It was just a testament to the relationship Harper had with the Swamp Foxes because he thought he was running on to go and play with them, Natasha said. “That’s what they do when they go to Goldfields [School].
“They’re all mates, and they all play rugby together and touch, and all those types of things,” she said.
The Swamp Foxes’ friendship with Goldfields School meant the rugby players visited the kids, sharing their skills with the kids, running workshops, making and fixing things, Natasha said. Every year the Swamp Foxes auction off rugby jerseys to raise funds for the school, and this year’s auction raised $20,000.
In addition, Harper was invited to sign two special charity jerseys, raising a further $3000 for the school.
Natasha said generations of Swamp Foxes and supporters who came from such a small province meant “we’re all tied to someone”. In Harper’s case, his grandfather, Murray Butterworth, was a Swamp Fox from 1978 to 1980, Natasha said.
But aside from his interest in the Swamp Foxes, hanging out with friends and family, and playing basketball – Harper said one day he wanted to go to Las Vegas to see WWE.
Some of the moves Harper shared during the halftime video were from his favorite wrestling stars – Braun Strowman, Brock Lesnar, Hulk Hogan, and his crush, Rhea Ripley.
But Harper was also involved in another sport: Special Olympics powerlifting, which he trains for once a week and has competed in a few tournaments. He’s currently training for the Special Olympics in Christchurch next year.
Harper and his mum wanted to do was thank everyone who had supported Harper in giving him his five minutes of fame, they said.
“We’ve really enjoyed it.”
DETAILS: To view the video, go to: Thames Valley Rugby Union on Facebook and search: Harper Sandford.
