Record-holding axeman dies
In 1992, Ray Harraway’s axe slipped, slicing off two toes.
Without batting an eye, he got up, cleaned off the blood from his axe and sprayed it with CRC, then picked up his toes before heading to hospital.
A phenomenal work ethic, attention to detail and a ‘‘can-do’’ mentality were his trademarks.
The 79-year-old from Ashburton was driving a fertiliser spreading truck when he crashed and flipped off a small single-lane bridge on Maronan Rd west of Ashburton at 5.45pm on Friday. Paramedics were unable to save him and he died at the scene.
His daughter Paulette Harraway said her father, who was known as ‘‘Granddad’’, was a highly respected woodcutter and stalwart of the Ashburton community.
‘‘He was a skilled guy and a very humble man. You’d never hear him blowing his [own] trumpet about his skills, it was always us girls.’’
Born in Milton, Harraway was best known for his woodcutting wins. He graduated from Golden Down Forestry school in Nelson before working for New Zealand Forestry based in Tapanui, West Otago.
He then started his own company Harraway Logging in the early 1980s.
He began his career as a professional woodcutter by competing at A&P shows. He set several New Zealand records including a world record for the
12-inch and standing event set in
1979. Another 11 of his national records still stand. His career was honoured last year, when he was made a lifetime member of the New Zealand Axemen’s Association (NZAA).
Harraway made the move to Ashburton to be closer to his family about 18 years ago and worked as a fertiliser truck driver for Ryal Bush Transport.
‘‘Dad was very community orientated. He was very involved,’’ Paulette.
Ryal Bush Transport Ashburton manager Chad Stewart said Harraway was a ‘‘Kiwi legend’’ who had an outstanding work ethic even at the age of 79. ‘‘He was as strong as an ox, he would run rings around some of the younger guys and he just loved his job.’’
NZAA president Dave McEwen said Harraway was a ‘‘straight up-and-down good bugger’’. ‘‘He had a good sense of humour and was always up for a yarn,’’ he said.
The Murchison A&P show on Saturday held a minute’s silence as a tribute to him before the competition final.
Senior Sergeant Matt Emery said the cause of the crash remained unclear. The police serious crash unit (SCU) completed an examination of the crash scene on Friday night. They would be examining the truck and talking to witnesses, he said. An autopsy was under way.
* Additional reporting by Tom Kitchin.