This was to be the second year that Horarata have run this competition as a fund raiser for their local school. When my son Bryce, Matt Simmons and I arrived to help out there was a good amount of rain falling down. We where quick to set up our Ridgeline gazebo to give us some shelter. By the time 12 noon came around at the start of the weigh in the rain had eased and the animals started rolling in.
One of the organises Heath Smith had caught a once in a life time boar which was to be the only boar at this comp that we did not cut the throat out of as he was going to get the head mounted. I was looking forward to measuring this jaw but first had to get the rest of the weigh in completed. The winning boar was caught by a young woman Hannah Forbes that weighed 194 pounds. Her father Neil is a regular at a few comps and catches a lot of good pigs, he drove a couple of hours down to the comp when Hannah had told him what she had caught just to be there at prize giving as Hannah was over the moon with her catch.
There were nine red deer and one fellow weighed in. One of the reds was shot that morning and they were in such a hurry to get it to the weigh in that it still had heart and lungs in it. We had a small digger at this comp which made lifting the animals such an easy task.
There was the usual pig carrying competition, for the younger ones they carried a hare around the course. There was also the possum throwing competition and a turkey shot where people got to shot a chosen few with a paint ball gun. All good things to get some audience participation.
At the end of the weigh in the skies opened up as the rain came down. We were lucky enough to have a big shed that everyone could fit into for the prize giving. This comp had so many prizes that there would not have been many people that would have missed out on a prize. One hunter that had a mixed day was Tairi Mullen, he had caught a 155 pound boar that his mate had cut the nuts out of so he knew that it would not be eligible so did not bring it.
However on the spot prizes he seemed to have his name come out a few times and to top this off one of the main prizes sponsored by gun city was a brand new 270 rifle which Tairi won. I was later told that last year Tairi won a twenty two rifle, he will be going for a hat trick next year.
While the prize giving was going on we could hear the ran pouring down outside and when we walked back out there were puddles every where.
I have not seen the animals taken away form the racks so quick as you could not help but get drenched through.
Results
Heaviest boar open
1st Hannah Forbes 194 pounds
2nd Jeremy clayton 158 pounds
3rd Heath Smith 158 pounds
4th Jenny McMurdo 154 pounds
5th Ben Fitzgibbon 140 pounds
Heaviest stag open
1st Gavin Affleck 236 pounds
2nd Mckenzie Tapp 193 pounds
3rd Jenny McMurdo 190 pounds
Heaviest boar Junior
1st Kyle Horn 144 pounds
2nd Johny Miller 119 pounds
3rd Jake Cleland 80 pounds
Heaviest stag junior
1st Simon Penny 264 pounds
2nd Harry Smith 200 pounds
3rd Ryan Thomas 167 pounds
Average weight
Brad Watson 132 pounds
one either side
above Ben Miller 138 pounds
below Morgan Hesslewood 128 pounds
Best tusks
Heath Smith 24 5/8
Best antlers
Mckenzie Tapp