About Us

Although my name is Ross and I am one of the owner/managers, I get called Jack (not really, only by me in my head). But I am, (and need to be – like all other small business owners), a Jack of all trades and in my case a master of none – I’m sure the staff would agree with me on this one.

I am lucky enough to have an incredible immediate and extended caring family. Christine, my wife, and our two kids – Ashleigh and Josh who have recently left home to forge their own ways in life.

So, what do I do – well I oversee the staff, the roles they all play in our business and how we want you our members to be treated, alongside keeping on top of all the admin and day-to-day processes.

I like to be prepared, organised and on time always, although there are occasional slip-ups, not all my fault, as happens in partnerships, if you know what I mean.

I train in the gym 7 days of the week most weeks at 6am. I have tried all sorts of other training times throughout the last 30 years for various reasons e.g. work and family commitments, but find I can train uninterrupted, go home to get ready for work and then not need to worry about unexpected things popping up and me having to miss out.

I am lucky that I am a reasonable sportsman no matter what the sport, a quick learner (except for math at school), and that I possess the amazing ability to forget and can at times, just not think! The other abilities I have are that I can very quickly sum up a situation and will correctly react/respond and have not made many, if any, mistakes twice. And yes, I know what you are thinking about me right now!

I am also lucky that Christine allows and supports me to indulge in my other hobbies. One of these is renovating houses (it’s ok, I was a builder in my past life) and yes, I do eventually finish them, and the other is riding our motorcycle.

I am fortunate, that I love what I do and to call Feilding our home, just as the previous three generations of Darragh have done before me.

Hi, I’m Dale and I was born and bred in Auckland (don’t worry I promise I’m not another JAFA!) and moved to Feilding four years ago.

I’ve been involved in sports my whole life with a few of them including tennis, soccer, gymnastics, squash, and table tennis. I’m really looking forward to combining my skills in administration and my passion for sport and exercise in this role.

If I could describe myself in a few words they would be: sporty, family-oriented, compassionate, caring, and fun-loving.

I love cars, and a dream of mine is to one day own a Mustang. Or, if I won lotto I’d buy a Cobra (though I’d actually have to invest in a lotto ticket first.) Some of my other passions include reading – I particularly enjoy Lee Child and David Baldacci – camping, and attending church on Sunday mornings.

I’m an animal lover and currently have a cat named Junior that I rescued, and a dog named Sebastian. My strengths include a love for people, being highly organised and punctual, and great communication skills. My weaknesses (aka can be bribed with) are chocolate, ice cream, and chips.

I’m a people person so come and say hi! 

Hey, I’m Chris I grew up in Shannon and come from a family of seven. After starting work in Feilding I moved to Palmerston North where I live with my wife and 5-year-old daughter. In my spare time, I like to go fishing and hunting, but if it’s too cold, you will find me tinkering in my man cave. 

Growing up I’ve always had a passion for sports and exercise. From a young age, I played league and rugby through till the end of High School. Once I completed my degree in Bachelor of Human Performance, I went on to become a full-time track cyclist in New Zealand and Australia. My cycling journey continued on for seven years, through which I was working part-time for different supplement stores and gyms. 

My career in Health and Fitness began in 1999. I have worked at Evolve Fitness for 18 years, specialising in Personal Training and Sales Management. I have gained 21 years experience in my field and over the years have helped many people succeed in reaching their fitness goals. I have learnt that the key to success is hard work, determination and never giving up.

Hey there, I’m Yasmine and I am born and raised here in Friendly Feilding. I tried to leave the nest a few years ago and move down to Otago but they don’t say home sweet home for no reason

I am currently on my last year of University at Massey, studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Education, so you will get to see my friendly face around here and there over the next year.

I am currently a Pump and LIT instructor here at Evolve, so if you ever feel like joining in one of my classes you are welcomed with open arms. I promise I won’t be too mean in the classes!

I love being active and staying fit myself. I am a highland dancer and qualified dance teacher, as well as playing netball at a high level.

Teaching and instructing, is such a rewarding experience because I am able to help people progress through their achievements and reach their goals.

While I’m finishing my last year studying, I am also on the front desk at Evolve on a casual basis so come in and see me and I can show you around.

An awesome quote:

“Life is not a competition it’s a journey. Life is about helping and inspiring others so we can reach our potential.”

Hey, I’m Karina and I’ve been a Personal Trainer in Wellington for six-plus years. I’ve recently joined the Evolve Family to be in Feilding more with my partner.

I’ve always had a passion to help people and I enjoy exercise, so personal training was the perfect fit. I love getting to know people and help them see the benefits of exercise physically and mentally, plus how it can overall improve their outlook on life.

My personal focus with members is to help them build confidence in the weights area and develop a consistent routine. I love supporting members through their fitness journey and celebrating their progress and successes.

Another passion and hobby of mine is dance. I learnt Jazz growing up, played Hockey in school, and got into strength training in my early 20s and continue to work on getting stronger. I missed dancing so I gave pole dancing a go and five-plus years later I am now also an instructor and I love sharing my passions with people. I look forward to helping you learn and grow!

Hey, I’m Cydney. 

I currently hold a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise (Exercise Prescription) from Massey University, and I am so excited to see you all in the gym!

My sporting background consists of a whole lot of hockey, playing since I was seven years old. I really enjoy being a part of a team, working towards a common goal, and making friendships along the way. My passion is to help others achieve the goals they set for themselves and to feel like they can achieve anything they put their minds to.  

If you see me around the gym, please come and say hi!

Kia Ora, I am Jemma. Sport, fitness and well-being, family, education, teaching and travel are the heart of my journey in life. It is hard to believe that I have been involved in the Fitness Industry for over 30 years. Over that time I have met many friends, colleagues and people who have shared a similar passion.

I have been privileged to cycle throughout NZ and Hawaii sharing and promoting well-being through USO bike ride. Our purpose has been to promote a healthier lifestyle and also a need to have regular health checks amongst Maori and Pacific men for prostate cancer.

I now know what grandparents meant when they said having grandchildren is a whole new and amazing experience. I am blessed to have a beautiful 4-year-old grandchild who from my biased view is simply amazing.

Nga Mihi…Jemma Lawton

Currently I am teaching the Low Impact class every Tuesday and Thursday morning. These classes are designed for our senior ladies to enable them to continue to live life to the fullest as well as catch up with other ladies as they are quite social.  Don’t let the grey hair fool you though as these ladies are full of energy and lots of sass!!  I also wear the hat of Group Fitness Manager, so if you’re enthusiastic about teaching classes and can bring lots of your positive energy, come and see me!!

Hey I’m Christina and I teach the Body Step class on Thursday night. I have three children along with working and studying this year.

More importantly, my favourite three Netflix series would be Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Money Heist, what’s yours? Any Netflix recommendations would be much appreciated.

I love the group fitness classes as I HATE running, and I imagine everyone in the class is my close friend and we are at a dance party so if that’s you too, I would definitely recommend coming along!

Hi, I teach one of the Les Mills group fitness classes – RPM.

With RPM I have participants who have had success in toning up, losing weight and looking forward to the next class of the challenging indoor cycling workout without the hassles of traffic and the weather.

See you there and come get your fitness game up.

Hi my name is Neil Bryant I am currently taking the Thai Boxing fitness classes each Monday at 4pm for kids and 5.10pm for adults.

My main hobbies are bone and wood carving. The sports I enjoy are rugby and obviously Muay Thai.

Have been involved in Thai boxing for 24 years as it also offers great fitness and self-esteem.

Hi I’m Helen and I’ve been at Evolve in Feilding since February 2017 though I’ve been involved with the fitness industry as an instructor for over 24 years! OMG!

As a kid, I was into competitive gymnastics and then in my early twenties reignited my love of dance and became a performer and a dance instructor.

I have lived in four different countries, however, the longest I’ve lived anywhere was Taihape.

I’ve been married to Simon for almost 28 years and have 16-year-old twins Luca and Sophie.

I currently teach Body Pump at Evolve.

I enjoy the season of summer, reading, attempting cryptic crosswords, tennis, walking our dog Louis, stand-up paddle boarding and spending time with my family.

I have my own business providing on-site chair massage to busy professionals in both Feilding and Palmerston North.

I love both my jobs as they keep me fit and I meet a lot of people.

Hey there, I’m Yasmine and I am born and raised here in Friendly Feilding. I tried to leave the nest a few years ago and move down to Otago but they don’t say home sweet home for no reason.

I am currently on my last year of University at Massey, studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Education, so you will get to see my friendly face around here and there over the next year.

I am currently a Pump and LIT instructor here at Evolve, so if you ever feel like joining in one of my classes you are welcomed with open arms. I promise I won’t be too mean in the classes!

I love being active and staying fit myself. I am a highland dancer and qualified dance teacher, as well as playing netball at a high level.

Teaching and instructing, is such a rewarding experience because I am able to help people progress through their achievements and reach their goals.

While I’m finishing my last year studying, I am also on the front desk at Evolve on a casual basis so come in and see me and I can show you around.

An awesome quote:

“Life is not a competition it’s a journey. Life is about helping and inspiring others so we can reach our potential.”