Rugby legend honoured with rural sports award
A gala function to celebrate rural sportspeople will be held in Palmerston North next year.
The cream of New Zealand’s rural sportspeople will be celebrated on March 8 and rural sports organisations are being invited to get nominations in for the awards.
The annual Norwood NZ Rural Sports Awards have a new addition, with the Allflex Sir Brian Lochore Outstanding Sportsperson from a Rural Background Award.
It will honour an athlete from any sporting code who comes from a rural background and puts the spotlight on the contributions of rural people to New Zealand’s sporting community.
Award patron Sir Brian Lochore says many of New Zealand’s greatest athletes have come from rural backgrounds.
“The challenges for rural athletes can be great, including lack of facilities, lack of coaching, and immense distances travelled to train and compete. I’m delighted to be associated with an award that recognises the extra challenges these athletes have had to meet and overcome to achieve success in their fields and the contribution they have made to New Zealand.”
Norwood chief executive Tim Myers says Sir Brian is a living Kiwi legend who has been a great friend to rural sports for generations.
“We had a fantastic array of nominees and the winners of the 2018 Norwood NZ Rural Sports Awards.
“They are outstanding Kiwi shearers, tree climbers, fencers, riders, wood choppers and administrators, and I am sure 2019 will be no different.”
Nominations are now open for the Norwood New Zealand Rural Sportsman of the Year, Skellerup New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year, Fonterra Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson of the Year, Levno Contribution to the New Zealand Rural Sports Industry, Toyota Lifetime Legacy Award and the Allflex Sir Brian Lochore Outstanding Sportsperson from a Rural Background.
The 2018 winners were multiple international treeclimbing championship winner Chrissy Spence, New Zealand and World Champion shearer John Kirkpatrick, young international rodeo rider Tegan O’Callaghan, shearing sports administrator Jude McNabb and multi-award-winning fencer Paul van Beers.
Nominations close at the end of January 2019 and finalists will be announced in February 2019.
■ Tickets are available from Kris Taylor at Taylored Events on 021 488 424 or email kris@tayloredevents.co.nz. Tickets are strictly limited, and will be allocated first-in-first-served.