2017 Sports Awards Winners

New Zealand Rural Sportsman of the Year Award

Rowland Smith
For 2016, Rowland Smith is the reigning World Champion and won a remarkable 23 open titles throughout the country. The Hasting’s shearer is also the reigning Golden Shears, Hilux New Zealand Speed Shear and New Zealand Open Champion; and in 2016 received the honour of Master Shearer.

New Zealand Rural Sportswoman of the Year Award

Morinsville aborist Chrissy Spence

Morinsville aborist Chrissy Spence has taken her tree climbing talents to the top of the world winning the International Tree Climbing Championship in 2016. It is her fourth world title and she is also the reigning Asia Pacific Tree Climbing Champion.

 

Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson of the Year Award

Jack Jordan

Jack Jordan is quickly making a name for himself in the sport of wood chopping. The Taranaki youngster shone in 2016 winning three underhand open wood chopping world titles which for a youth axeman is an amazing achievement.

Contribution to the Rural Sports Industry

Whangarei’s Lance Waddell

Whangarei’s Lance Waddell has served shearing in NZ for almost 50 years and Shearing Sports NZ for more than 30 years as a judge, supplier of shearing plant and as a leader of the Shearing Sports NZ electronic points system scoring team. He has been involved with the points scoring system since 1985 and attends 14 competitions each season, setting up and operating the timing equipment non-stop throughout the competitions. His outstanding dedication and many hours of volunteer work over many years thoroughly deserves this award.

Glittering night for rural sports stars at Rural Sports Awards
March 8, 2019 • 0 Comment

The New Zealand rural sports community gathered at Awapuni in Palmerston North to honour their best and brightest. The winners of the New Zealand Rural Sports Awards were announced at a gala dinner this evening, on the eve of the […]

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Kiwi sporting legend honoured with new Rural Sports Award
March 4, 2019 • 0 Comment

It’s time for rural sports organisations to get their nominations in for the prestigious annual NZ Rural Sports Awards. The Awards celebrate the cream of New Zealand’s rural sportspeople and will be presented at a gala function on Friday 8 […]

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Championing the best of rural sports
July 1, 2018 • 0 Comment

Rural New Zealanders have always been competitive, and they’ve turned everyday farm jobs like shearing and fencing into highly competitive sports, as well as providing some of the country’s top athletes in more traditional sports. The NZ Rural Sports Awards […]

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Steve Hollander

Steve Hollander

Founder

Steve Hollander is the founder of the NZ Rural Games Trust and a key figure in promoting New Zealand’s rural sports and community. In 2013, his pioneering vision led to the creation of the Trust, which successfully launched flagship events including the NZ Rural Games, the Rural Sports Awards, Agri Futures, and Clash of The Colleges.

His entrepreneurial drive extends beyond events. He is also involved with Future Post, an innovative company that recycles plastic waste into durable fence posts. A Christchurch-born sports enthusiast with a degree in Physical Education from the University of Otago, Steve has played multiple sports at a premier club level and still enjoys cricket and a hit of golf on a Wednesday afternoon.  His favourite rural sport is wood chopping.  

After extensive international travel, he returned to New Zealand, where his experience in the travel industry evolved into a specialisation in event travel management for major sporting events. Along with his wife Karen, he is passionate about harness racing and has been breeding, owning and amateur driving horses for many years out of their lifestyle property north of Auckland.