Steve Hollander, Riki Paewai, Kris Richards and Margaret Kouvelis. Photo / Provided
Te Marae o Hine Palmerston Square North hosted the record-breaking event during this weekend’s New Zealand Ford Ranger Country Match.
About 42,000 people attended the three-day event where athletes competed in a variety of rural sports, including chopping wood, shoveling coal and shearing sheep.
However, it was the boot throwing and egg throwing and catching that ultimately broke New Zealand’s record.
Riki Paewai and Kris Richards set a new record for New Zealand Throw and Catch at 66.3m – the first time it was broken since 2016.
The pair surpassed the 2016 record of Brent Newdick and Luke Wainui of 63.7 m with a large 2.6 m.
Meanwhile, New Zealand women’s shoe-throwing champion Kristin Churchward beat her Kiwi record by throwing 36.88m.
The previous record was 34.45m, which was set in Queenstown in 2016.
New Zealand Country Games founder Steve Hollander said it was a “fantastic” weekend for country sports.
“The sun was shining all weekend, and we were lucky enough to see two New Zealand records being broken.”
The weekend also succeeded in introducing this year’s focus on introducing young people to rural careers and sports, said Hollander.
“As of Friday, we have 420 students attending the Westpac Agri Futures inauguration, and another 240 students competing in the Allflex Clash of the Colleges. We want to introduce a youth focus on encouraging young people in rural careers and rural sports.”
The Stihl Timbersports Championship is also held over the weekend, with women, men and rookies competing to represent New Zealand in international championships.
“It’s great to have more wooden sports competitors at the Olympics, especially young and female competitors alongside men – the public can see a high level of professionalism in this sport’s code,” Hollander said.
A one-hour television program will air on TV3 on March 27 at 5 pm.
New Zealand Ford Ranger Country Game Results
Stihl Timbersports
• 1st Men’s Championship: Jack Jordan – 75 points
• 2nd Men’s Championship: Kyle Lemon – 62 points
• 3rd Men’s Championship: Jason Wynyard – 58 points
• 1st Women’s Championship: Kylea Heaton of Hamilton
• 2nd Women’s Championship: Raewyn Windley of Hamilton
• 3rd Women’s Championship: Emma Shaw of Leeston
• First Newcomers Championship: Brad Pako from Dunedin
• 2nd Rookies Championship: Cleveland Cherry of Spinuru
• 3rd Rookies Championship: Michael Trow of Hamilton
Speed Fence
• First Championship: Tony Bouskill
• 2nd Championship: Team Garrick
• 3rd Championship: Bradley Fountain
• First Fighter: Jared Nicolson
• 2nd shooting: Hayden Walton
• Battle 3: Troy Brooky
Teenage Secondary Shooting
• First team: Rathkeale College
• 2nd Team: Feilding High
• 3rd team: New Plymouth Boys
• First Individual Quality Barber: Michael Buick, Rathkeale College
Sam Strahan’s Memorial Sheep Dog Trial Challenge
• First team: Jo Waugh, Bex Scragg, Kathryn Oliver, Robyn Stephens
• 2nd Team: Paul Evans, Guy Peacock, Bruce Parkinson, Matthew McMurray
New Zealand Skellerup Gumboot Throw Championship
• Men’s 1st prize: Kieran Fowler – 47.31m
• 2nd son: Stu McNie – 46.63m
• 3rd son: Craig Manson – 46.50m
• 1st daughter: Kristen Churchward – 36.88m – New Zealand record
• 2nd daughter: Dell Adams – 31.62m
• 3rd daughter: Janey Harrison – 29.94m
New Zealand Catch and Egg Throw Championship
• 1st place: Riki Paewai and Kris Richards – 66.3 million
• 2nd place: Jeremy Price and Jacob Smith – 45m
• Third: Robbie Hollander and Jack Taylor – 40m
Battle of the Sexes Speed Tree Climbing
• First team: Women – Stephanie Dryfhout, Sami Baker, Nicala Ward-Allen, Chrissie Spence – 310 points
• 2nd Team: Boys – Dom Ritter, Sam Smith, Sam James, Jack Taylor – 296 points
• Footlock First Man: Sam James – 13.7s
• First Women’s Footlock: Nicala Ward-Allen – 15.4s
• First Person Workclimb: Sam Smith – 66.33s
• First Women’s Workclimb: Chrissie Spence 68.00s
Southern Hemisphere Highlands Championship
• First: Craig Manson
• Second: Ruben De Jong
• Third: Andrew Wain
Shearing Speed
1st Jack Fagan: 47.34 (two sheep)
2nd Jimmy Samuels 49.52 (two sheep)
• 3rd Paerata Abraham 20.04 (one sheep)
Coal Shovel
• First team: Worn Out Old Buggers – 11.65s
• Men’s Doubles 1st: Royce Green and Wayne Keown – 15.09s
• Women’s Doubles 1st: Dell Adams and Kristen Churchward – 19.86 seconds
• Men’s Singles 1st: Royce Green – 24.63
Getting ready
• First: Penny Boyle
• Second: Andre Poutama
• Third: Melissa Lammas
Speights – Bill Tapley Memorial Cow Pat Throw in collaboration with FFNZ Manawatu Branch
• 1st son: Riki Paewai – 42.22m
• Both Sons: Luke Wainui – 40.12m
• 3rd son: Tangaroa Walker – 36.03m
• 1st place under 12: Camden Bolton – 26.35m
• Second place under 12 years of age: Rupert Smith – 25.85 million
Cow Pat Throw – Saturday
• 1st son: Luke Wainui
• 2nd son: Jeremy Price
• 3rd son: Riki Paewai
• 1st daughter: Maddie Bell
Human and Mutant Race
• First: Luke Watts and Max from Whanganui
• Second: Josh Wilkinson and Lilly from Fitzherbert
• Third: David Reesby and Bo from Marton
Russian Egg Roulette
• 10.00: 1st Michelle Smith, 2nd Jacob Smith
• 12.00: 1st Christina Gee, 2nd Toot Hotel
• 14.00: 1st Brandon Brooks, 2nd Dylan Muidie
Allflex Clash of the Colleges
• Juniors 1st: Palmerston North Boys High School Team 51 – 92 points
• Junior 2nd: Feilding High School Team 17 – 90 points
• Juniors 3: Feilding High School Team 8 – 89 points
• Senior 1: New Plymouth Boys Middle School Team 44 – 112 points
• Senior 2: Wairarapa College Team 23 – 108 points
• Senior 3: Build 7 Middle School Team – 105 points
• The best team to throw Gumboots: Palmerston North Boys High School