HRNZ MARKETING
The Hilux Rural Games this year will once again be held in Palmerston North, with the dates being 10 and 11 March, and special opening events in Fielding on Friday 9 March.
Last year harness racing was a new sport added to the games roster and this year it will feature as a part of the opening events on the Friday with the Harness Racing New Zealand sulky race at 11.15am on Manchester Street in Fielding.
The race will be for teams of four over a distance of 400m, finishing off at the clock tower in the centre of Fielding. Last year over 6,000 people attended the opening event, and this year they are expecting a crowd of over 10,000 as local schools from the region are attending thanks to generous sponsorship with transport.
The games receive coverage on MediaWorks, TVNZ and NZME broadcasts, along with extensive coverage by Fairfax media. They are attended by big names in sport including last year’s guest of honour Dame Valerie Adams, who took out the NZ Gumboot Throwing Championship.
An initiative that originally started in 2014, the rural games have become a highlight on the calendar for those wanting bragging rights over their peers in the racing and rural sector. But also opens a whole new audience to the skill and craft of those in the rural and racing communities with thousands attending over the two-day event in The Square.
At the heart of the games are a series of traditional sports attracting top competitors from throughout New Zealand and Australia. You can expect to see several national and world champions battling for the prestigious Hilux New Zealand Rural Games titles.
Together with Sport New Zealand and rural sports associations around the country the games developed exciting new formats for sheep shearing, speed fencing, speed tree climbing and other traditional sports. They also play host to the ANZAXE Wood Chopping Championship, New Zealand Harness Racing Gearing Up Championship and the NZ Rural Highland Games ‘Heavies’ Trans-Tasman Competition that has been so popular in previous events.
Jay Abernethy was the inaugural winner of the New Zealand Harness Racing Gear Up Championship last year, an event that attracted a lot of interest and new faces to the product. He intends to return to defend the trophy, which is a stunning gold cup won by Blossom Lady during her outstanding racing career.
This year there will once again be a large array of fantastic prizes on offer (including the trophy), and expressions of interest are being called for from the harness racing community.
Entry to the contest is free and assistance with accommodation can be arranged.
“We would really love to attract as many entries as possible from around the country,” said event founder Steve Hollander. “It’s a great chance to promote the sport, but also a lot of fun. And we can help them out with accommodation and any queries they have. It would be a great opportunity for junior drivers, amateurs and cadets,” he added.
The Harness Gearing Up Championship will be held on the Saturday at 4.30pm, and also offers the public a chance to have a go at gearing up a Standardbred which was an extremely popular event last year.
Manawatu Harness Racing have been huge supporters of this event, providing the sulkies and gear and horses for the relative events.
Entries for the Harness Gearing Up Championship close Sunday 18 February. For further information please contact Karen Hollander by emailing Karen@hollander.co.nz
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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