Getting ready for a show of strength
Lifting a quad bike is one of the new tests of strength facing strong men and women from around the country in Nelson next month.
This year will mark the fifth year of the Taylor’s Cars Strong Man Challenge, which will be held over two days at the Nelson A&P Show on November 24 and 25.
Competitors will lift, pull and hold excessive amounts of weight over eight events, from logs to hay bales to quad bikes.
The winner of the men’s event will be awarded the title of the South Island’s strongest man, with the winner of the women’s category being named New Zealand’s strongest woman.
Promoter Luke Slotemaker said there were entries coming in from all around the country.
In 2017 there were a total of 30 competitors.
One of the local athletes taking part is Amy Ferris, who is coming back for her third event after winning two bronze medals in 2017.
Ferris, who comes from a powerlifting background, said she was attracted by the variety of the sport.
‘‘[In powerlifting] you are always doing the same three lifts, but this is just more exciting because there’s way more variety.’’
Ferris said that while in the gym, competitors would do their best to simulate lifts, every strong man event had its own unique quirks.
‘‘It’s really just starting to pick up in New Zealand. There’s a lot more females getting into it now, which is cool.’’
There will also be a few new events this year, including one where the competitors have to lift a Can-Am quad bike.
Slotemaker said there were always opportunities to come up with interesting new challenges in strong man competitions.
‘‘What I really like to is add something new every year that someone hasn’t done before.
‘‘We really want to put on a show for everyone.’’
Nelson A&P Association manager Annette Robinson said the Royal Equestrian Event was one of the other major new additions to the show this year. Equestrian organiser Liz Harvey said it would be the first time Nelson had hosted a Royal Equestrian event.
Instead of the normal 230 breed classes on offer, there were expected to be about 450 this year – with more competitors expected to arrive from regions such as Canterbury, Harvey said.
Robinson said there would also be some changes to the dairy section of the show, because of the effects of the mycoplasma bovis infection. Display cattle from one selected farm would still be on show in November, but there would be no cattle competition at the show.