Southland to host World Ploughing Champs
For the first time, Southland will host the World Ploughing Championship.
Thousands of people are expected to descend on the small rural town of Riversdale for the 74th world event in autumn 2029.
New Zealand Ploughing Association chairman Scott McKenzie, of Clinton, said other parts of the country bid to host the event, but Riversdale won because it could guarantee land, owned by association member Mark Dillon, and that was a huge advantage.
The competition would run over two days in either March or April, when the weather was usually more settled.
A date would be selected which did not clash with any other major rural events to give it the best chance of attracting a big crowd, and organisers were hoping to attract "thousands".
Competitors would compete in either the conventional or reversible classes, working grass one day and stubble the next.
The committee would offer competitors and their supporters a package of up to 10 days, including practice days on the competition grounds and a tour of the South.
"It's pretty exciting and it's good to showcase our own bit of homeland," Mr McKenzie said.
Some teams would arrive up to a month before the competition to prepare for the event and learn the lie of the land.
International competitors would practise on private land, as soil types were diverse around the world, to increase their chances by reducing any home ground advantage.
He was calling for expressions of interest from individuals or groups keen to help organise the event.
"It will be a fairly substantial event and there could be up to 30-odd countries come, so there'll be a bit of logistics involved and quite a lot of accommodation."
Up to 400 officials would take part and he estimated the event would require about 8000 bed nights.
New Zealand had hosted the event four times before: Lincoln in 1967 and 1980, Outram in 1994 and Methven in 2010.
shawn.mcavinue@alliedpress.co.nz
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