She’s been a whistleblower the world over, exposing foul play and making tough calls. Colleen Bond’s done herself and New Zealand proud and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Colleen might be married to James Bond – a real one, but she’s pretty famous in her own right.

A highly acclaimed and sought after international netball umpire for some 50 years, Colleen may have retired from the world stage, but she’s still top of her game, mentoring and inspiring young proteges rising through the ranks.

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She’s been appointed to call the shots at dozens of the world’s top netball clashes and test matches during her time, touring everywhere from Scotland and England to Jamaica, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

It's an honour she doesn’t take lightly and a role she takes very seriously.

“You have to really work hard on your fitness and skills, to be your best, as you just can’t get it wrong,” she says.

NZ Umpire Colleen Bond at the 1982 England vs Wales test match. Photo: Supplied

It’s involved countless hours of commitment, Colleen driving from the home farm near Mataura to Dunedin every Wednesday night during Coca Cola Cup days.

“I had to do that. It was my job to build on that experience and prepare,” she says. “You aim to be the best you can.”

Things don’t always go smoothly, especially when there are big titles at stake.

Colleen once found herself surrounded by an angry Jamaican team on court in Sydney, televised live, after calling out one of their players with a warning for being offside.

Even their angry coach chimed in, threatening a mass team walk off, but Colleen stood her ground. Often travelling to strange countries alone, she’s found herself in some compromising situations.

“It was a real education at times.”

She may supposedly be retired but regular Zoom meetings are the norm and as an international testing panel member, Colleen has just returned from Umpire Panel duties at the Netball Smart NNZ Open Championships.

Born in Tapanui, Colleen’s dad managed a farm at Edievale, where she walked 1.5 miles to school. Times were tough then and her mum washed with a copper and worked a butter churn, while raising four kids.

Colleen in 1970 with the horse 'Airfare'. Photo: Supplied

Several moves to farms outside Gore saw Colleen develop a love of farming and animals and after scoring an admin job at Bannerman Brydone & Folster in Gore, at 16, she was allowed to leave school.

A Southland Country and age-group rep netballer from her mid-teens, Colleen was a talented Wing Attack and Centre in her youth, also versatile enough to star when needed as Goal Attack.

Colleen played for Southland Country from 1965 to 1968 and was vice captain one year.

After marrying her James Bond at 20 they moved to Pukekohe to further his horse training career, and Colleen worked in an accountant’s office, playing for South Auckland/Counties in the Opens for two years and achieving zone level in umpiring.

In 1971 they moved back to Mataura where they’d purchased a property.

Colleen played and umpired Southland netball, quickly passing her qualifications up to her NZ theory badge.

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“Violet Lynch (Anderson), my Ex High Club coach, was responsible for me taking the whistle,” she says.

“We’d run from Wigan Street in Gore up to the old netball courts in Preston Street, about two miles, for training. She never let me off shuttles either,” grins Colleen.

“Violet was a NZ umpire and always encouraged me to work through the qualification levels to achieve my NZ Practical level. I worked my way through, and I enjoyed it.”

Colleen’s also umpired at 28 NZ Nationals and after many trips overseas with the Silver Ferns as one of NZ’s top umpires, she’s now retired.

“It makes you feel very humble when you get an appointment with the Silver Ferns,” she says.

Dame Lois Muir would always ensure Colleen felt part of the team, her first trip out of NZ with the Ferns to England and Wales in the early 1980s.

“For me it was quite daunting, but she was amazing.”

Colleen being recognised at NZ Nationals by NZ Umpire President Fay Freeman. Photo: Supplied

It was also Rhonda Meads’ first trip with the Ferns and the overseas media only wanted to interview her because she was Colin Meads’ daughter.

“Lois wouldn’t allow her to go on her own, so she’d have the captain attend with her, where the interview, supposedly about netball, turned out more about rugby,” Colleen says.

"Lois was very inclusive, even with me.”

Dame Lois, Lyn Gunson, Yvonne Willering, Wai Taumaunu were among the wonderful names she worked with.

Colleen umpiring the Australia v's Jamaica test match. Photo: Supplied

She had been reserve for the World Championships three times and was about to give it up in 2003 when she was appointed to her first World Tournament in Jamaica. Colleen, a Kiwi household name umpiring the National Bank Cup, went on to the World Games in Germany and Holland and appointments in Fiji and Samoa before retiring.

Colleen still treasures those memories, the James Bond bolts and chains hanging on her hotel door when one player prankster was at work and the little clogs team manager Lady Sheryl Wells gave her in Holland.

In Germany once Colleen was concentrating hard on the goal line controlling a shooter when the players all roared with laughter. “I thought, ‘What have I done? I hadn’t seen that the pole had slipped down from 10 foot to 3 foot.”

Colleen brings prestige to the game and strives to maintain that high standard. It’s imperative that umpires present with high level standards and rules knowledge for games and dress smartly in whites.

Colleen Bond coaching the Southland Smokefree Champs. Photo: Supplied

Unfortunately, two new hips prevent her from running at her old pace, but she’s coached the Ex High Premier team for more than 20 years.

She’s pretty chuffed that they won the Eastern Premier Competition and the (new) Centre’s Premiership Competition this season.

“I did help umpire one game this season and I’d never normally lower myself to wear track pants, but I told them I’m not getting dressed in whites or tanning my legs,” she laughs.

Colleen presenting her trophy to umpires Sasha McLeod and Kristie Simpson. Photo: Supplied

For many years Colleen’s been inspiring new umpires and coaching for Netball South, covering Otago and Southland, mentoring many southern international successes.

She’s even entertained the entire Namibian netball team at home.

“They each had a ride in a sulky driving a horse around our home race training track, also fascinated with climbing our haystack.”

Colleen receives her Member of the NZ Order of Merit Honour from former Governor General Jerry Mateparae. Photo: Supplied

Proudly displayed in her kitchen is her Member of the NZ Order of Merit Honour, awarded by former Governor General Jerry Mateparae, and Gore District Civic Award.

You won’t catch her skiting about them though, quite the opposite, just like you won’t catch her giving out her age. “You’re only as old as you feel,” she grins.

Colleen’s a dab hand with the reins too, now an accomplished harness horse driver and stable hand for husband Jimmy’s trotters, her workouts on the home racetrack keeping her looking ripped.

“Horse driving is part of life now. It keeps me fit.”

But Colleen clearly gets the most joy from helping grow new quality umpiring stars, and seeing southerners reach international ranking.

“They don’t come along every day, but to work with the ones that really want it, for me, that’s just so exciting.”