Ihakara Te Tuku Rapana (8 November 1886 – 21 June 1968), commonly known as Ike Robin, was a New Zealand sportsman, businessman, orator and member for the Māori Anglican Church. A champion sheep shearer and professional wrestler, he was the first national heavyweight champion recognised by the National Wrestling Association and successfully defended the title against some of the top stars of the Gold Dust Trio-era, most notably, Stanislaus Zbyszko in 1926. Over 40 years after his death, he was ranked No. 7 in a top ten list of New Zealand's greatest wrestlers by Fight Times Magazine in 2009. As a lay reader of the Anglican church he was closely associated with many prominent members of the clergy, such as Bishop Frederick Bennett, and other notable figures as Te Puea Herangi and Sir Turi Carroll. He was also an elder of the Ngāti Kahungunu and especially active in charity work and philanthropy on behalf of the Māori people. His efforts were recognized and was awarded the Order of the British Empire. Early life Ihakara Te Tuku Rapana was born in Wairoa, New Zealand, on 8 November 1886. He was the second of four children born to Ihakara Rapana, a member of the Ngāti Raukawa, and Riripeti Te Aue Roberts (or McRobert). His mother was of Scottish and Ngāti Kahungunu descent. Shortly after his birth, Robin's family moved to Kohupatiki where he lived for the rest of his life. Although he received a primary education, Robin left school at age 15 to become a chauffeur and mechanic for Napier businessman George Donnelly. A year later, he joined his father as a shearer for the Chambers family at Te Mata station, then one of the biggest sheep stations in Hawke's Bay, as well as other various duties. He began shearing sheep at 20 years old and had a highest daily tally of 150 sheep in his first year. He increased this to 200 a year later and, in his third year, he achieved the title of 'gun-shearer' with a 300 tally. He increased this to 343. Robin eventually left Te Mata to find work for other shearing contractors and travelled as far as Wanganui and Turakina for employment. While at Mangaohane station in Taihape, he reached his highest personal tally, setting a record of 358 sheep in 8 hours 20 minutes. Robin also regularly competed in the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral