Sally Ridge comes home for races

Interior designer, artist, socialite, Twitter favourite, gossip-mag fodder, columnist and reality TV star - Sally Ridge has many bristles to her paint brush, but this Tauranga born gal's most important role is being a mum. She talks to Annemarie Quill

"I think I must tell my kiddies 50 times a day how much I love them", says Sally Ridge: "I think the key to being a great mum is to love your children as much as you possibly can.

The kiddies in question are Mclane, 6, Astin 9, Boston, 15, and the most well-known of the mini-Ridges, Jaime, 19, who was the only one of Sally's children to star with her in last year's reality TV show, The Ridges.

Despite a full work schedule and busy social life, Sally is a hands-on mum.

"I am there for them 100 per cent. Everything I do, I work around the kiddies.

"So if I'm filming, I will work it around school, for example. I do all my own cooking. I love cooking & baking ... and I'm very lucky, as I got a cleaner about three weeks ago. Only two hours a week, but it's awesome."

Her close relationship with Jaime was evident in the TV show, and they are often seen out and about socially. They even tweet each other's photos.

"Jaime and I are best friends - just like my mother and me."

Sally's media status means she is often in the gossip pages, or the target of online vitriol from anonymous Twitter trolls, but she is not curling up in a ball - not in public, anyway.

"It used to really upset me, but not any more.

"I know I'm not that person, so it's like water off a duck's back now. You have no control over what the media say."

She admits it is particularly hurtful when her role as a mum, or her daughter Jaime, are targeted.

"The worst thing that any one could say is that I'm a bad mum, because I know I'm a great mum."

She is indirectly referring to Herald diary columnist Rachel Glucina, formerly of the Herald on Sunday's Spy column, which regularly criticised Sally for hanging out with her daughter.

Sally may claim it is water off a duck's back, but she showed that when it comes to her children she is fiercely protective.

She pointedly turned the tables on her nemesis Glucina, catching her on camera in the final episode of The Ridges, in a classic moment which would have endeared her to anyone who has been a target - public or private.

Her playful nature in the show revealed a little-known side of Sally. For a socialite often criticised as attention-seeking, she was disarmingly down to earth and natural, attributes that won her fans, particularly among females.

Sally grew up in Tauranga, where her parents and "darling grandmother" still live. When she comes back to visit, there is no huge fuss and no cameras as there are in Auckland.

"It's quite cute, I have to say."

She shops at the Mount, but mostly just hangs out at the beach.

Later this month, on March 22, Sally is headlining at the Bayleys Japan Cup event at Tauranga racecourse, where she is a judge at the Fashion in the Fields event.

Fashionistas around the country will be putting on their best frocks and competing in high fashion, classic racewear and design categories for the top prize of a trip for two to Hawaii.

As a judge, Sally has these tips for aspiring fillies at the races.

"Put thought into your outfit, from head to toe. Add stunning jewellery to suit your outfit, but do not overdo it. Less is more."

Sally is bringing the new man in her life, Auckland businessman Warren Fenning, to the event.

Her love life and associated Wag status has always been in the spotlight - she married former All Black Matthew Ridge at 18 and became a mum to Jaime at just 21.

After her divorce in 2001, she settled down with former Black Cap-turned-financier Adam Parore, until a much-publicised messy split in 2010.

Despite her relationships being ground in the rumour mill, Sally has not indulged in public criticism, with the aim of being positive and putting the children first.

Unsurprisingly, Sally is keeping her cards close to her chest with her new man, but is now happy stepping out with Fenning.

Whether he - or anyone - will be in a second series of The Ridges, no one knows.

There is nothing planned yet, says TV3, given the channel's focus on The X Factor NZ this year, but Sally says ... watch this space.

And we will.