Grab y’all cowboy hats and boots and get ready to hoedown with the best country music entertainers in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Country Music Association (NZCMA) is hosting the 2025 Entertainer of the Year at Baycourt Theatre, Tauranga, on October 4.

The association’s 48 affiliated clubs, regional awards, and country music festivals actively promoted amateur singers and musicians to achieve their aspirations by providing concerts and competitions for them to be seen and heard.

Seven competitions, with five categories each, were held throughout this year in districts nationwide and the winners qualified to compete in Tauranga next month, the association said.

Tauranga qualifiers Tegan Smart (nee Reid) and Phoebe Anderson (nee Ball) both found their passion for country music at a young age.

New Zealand Country Music Association 2025 Entertainer of the Year Tauranga qualifier Tegan Smart. Photo / supplied

Smart said she would sing around the house all the time, so her mum decided to take her to singing lessons, but they were classical lessons which didn’t enjoy.

Then Smart’s mum found out about a country music club through a colleague. Smart met Anderson and they both had lessons with Te Puke country music teacher Bettie Pratt.

“Over the years from the age of 9 I’ve competed in many country music competitions, starting at the Te Puke Country Music Awards where I won the new talent section and my first guitar,” Smart.

“From junior to intermediate and now senior I’ve continued to grow under Bettie Pratt’s guidance singing twice on Norfolk Island in the Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year, as well as multiple times in the NZCMA Entertainer of the year.”

Now in the awards’ senior section she’s under the watchful eye of Tauranga’s Ali Blue.

“Making it into Entertainer of the Year means that all my hard work that has gotten me to where I am today has paid off.”

This isn’t Smart’s first rodeo; she’s competed at this event multiple times, but has never won it. She said winning had been a dream of hers “for a while”.

Win or lose, the mother-of-two said: “The more time on stage always gives you more experience and singing against the other contestant always pushes me to work harder and keep improving.”

In preparation for her performance, Smart told The Weekend Sun she’s been fine-tuning two songs.

New Zealand Country Music Association 2025 Entertainer of the Year Tauranga qualifier Phoebe Anderson. Photo / Supplied

Anderson had a similar beginning. She started singing at 8 at school. A teacher aide heard her sing and invited her to the country music club.

“I love country music. The songs tell a story; there’s emotion and feeling. It has a way of drawing you in and capturing you wholeheartedly,” Anderson said.

She competed from age 9 into her early 20s then took a break.

“Recently I entered the South Waikato Country Music Awards on a promise to my late Nana [Bettie Pratt],” Anderson said.

Pratt – who also taught Smart – “taught me all I know in music,” Anderson said.

“It wasn’t about competing; it was about singing in her honour. I was blown away to walk away with the senior overall top prize after a long break away.”

The qualified early childhood teacher said she’s excited to be back in the atmosphere surrounded by friends and family.

“Music is my hobby. It’s an outlet, one that’s filled with loads of emotions.”

The awards night will host more than 30 finalists, with two concerts held on the day – a matinee and an evening show, the NZCMA said.

“A very high standard of production is required and top-quality musicians, judges, lighting, sound, venue and prizes are needed to meet the level of professionalism that this event deserves.”