Monday 19 September 2011

World Champion to compete at Show

New Zealand’s very own world champion lumberjack, Jason Wynyard, will be competing in the woodchopping section at this year’s Canterbury A&P Show, held Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 November at Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch.

Wynyard recently won his tenth Stihl Timbersports Series Championship, a record in the history of the competition which attracts the world’s top lumberjack athletes in a competition based on historic logging techniques.

Wynyard also holds the world record for the standing block at 12.11 seconds. Labelled one of the most physically exhausting lumberjack disciplines, the competitor has to chop through 12-14 inches of vertical white pine, from both sides of the log.

A full time competitor who has been involved with timbersports for over 20 years, Wynyard and his wife Karmyn, also a competitor and champion chopper, are regulars at the Canterbury A&P Show.

“With Jason confirmed the woodchopping at this year’s Show promises to be a high energy endurance event, showcasing strength and precision in a fierce and entertaining non-stop competition. It’s a unique combination of when rural life meets sport in this highly competitive event” commented Show Event Director Rae Finlay.

Over 100 entries are expected, with competitors competing for over $22,000 in prize money in heats and finals of various classes including underhand, standing, tree plus the popular Jill & Jill and Jack & Jill classes.

Old rivals New Zealand and Australia will go head to head in two events this year including the Stihl Teams Race (New South Wales vs. South Island) and new this year, the New Zealand vs. Australia Veterans Team Race. New South Wales are the reigning champions in the Stihl Teams Race at the Show.

Canterbury hosts the largest Agricultural and Pastoral Show in the country with organisers anticipating another year of close to 7,000 livestock and feature competition entries, comprising more than 3,000 animals battling it out in over 1,700 classes including sections for horse/pony, beef/dairy cattle, sheep, alpaca, llama, pig, wool, goat, dog trials, poultry, shearing & woolhandling, woodchopping and vintage machinery.

Entries for the 2011 Canterbury A&P Show are closing soon, most sections close late September. For more information visit the Show website www.theshow.co.nz or contact the Show Secretary on 03 343 3033 or info@theshow.co.nz.

ENDS

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