Waiau run two pig hunting competitions each year one at labour as a local fund raiser and the other comp was started three years ago when Waiau started up their own pig hunting club. The Ridgeline team were invited up to help out with the judging of the pig hunting clubs third annual pig hunting competition. The ridgeline team had also taken on two new members from Waiau this year, Andy and Jo Morairty.
Andy is a well known local pig hunter and his wife Jo has a lot to do with organising the local comps so it is good to have their knowledge and experience on board. On the day of the comp we also had Matt Simmons Bryce Westwood and myself from the ridgeline team and and a number of the club members Dan Pemberton, Pumba and Courtney. This made my job a lot easier as I had more time to mingle and socialise with a few of the locals.
The weather on the day looked very threatening and we had to tie the gazebo down as we where putting it up to stop it from blowing away. I am pleased that it was made so strong as it was a good place to get out of the wind. In all areas through out New Zealand always a couple of hunters who turn up to competitions with a couple of good pigs so I was not surprised when I saw Neil Forbs backing his ute in with a couple of good boars on the back. Neil’s mate Mark Raine travels all the way down from the north island to hunt for this competition. These guys obviously have the two main things you need to be a successful pig hunter, that is good grounds to hunt and good dogs. As the cut off time for the weigh-in passed the weather looked like the skies were about to open up so we all headed into the bar for the prize giving. One of the stand outs at the prize giving for me was the winner of the guess the amount of jelly beans in the jar. When I called out the name Oliva Thomas the cutest wee three year old girl came up with her mother to collect her prize while every one in the bar was clapping.
Results
Heaviest boar
1st Mark Raine 159 pounds
2nd Matt Rihnd 138 pounds
3rd Michael Williams 136 pounds
Heaviest Sow
1st Jason Morgan 122 pounds
2nd Michael Townsend 105 pounds
Average weight pig
Tim Deidrich 115 pounds
Best tusks
Mark Raine 18 3/8
Heaviest stag
Maddy Stevenson 158 pounds
Kids section
heaviest possum
Samantha Moriarty
Heaviest rabbit
Deegan Devree
Heaviest hare
Matea Jameson
Winner of guess the weight of the pig Jaxon Davison