Hawke's Bay man Bruce Mactaggart set to revive Goldie Oldies sport events

Hawke's Bay events professional Bruce Mactaggart has taken on ownership of sports series Golden Oldies. Photo / Supplied

International sports festival Golden Oldies is set to make a comeback thanks to the efforts of a Hawke's Bay man to revive it.

Bruce Mactaggart, who has a background in events, has taken on its ownership and is looking at the possibility of holding events in the region in the future.

Golden Oldies is a series of global sports festivals for recreational and social players aged 35+ that has spanned more than 40 years.

Past events have taken place in Australasia, the UK, US, Europe, Japan, South Africa, and Argentina.

The sports series has faced an uncertain future due to Covid-19 but Mactaggart's recent purchase means it has relaunched and is set to host three new tournaments next year.

While born in Australia, Mactaggart said he is a very proud Kiwi and is very passionate about Hawke's Bay, and he wanted to keep Golden Oldies in New Zealand ownership.

Golden Oldies was originally started in 1979 by Hawke's Bay man Tom Johnson, so "it's kind of lovely" that it has a Hawke's Bay owner once again, which Mactaggart describes as "kind of a sense of coming home".

"It would've been sad to see it go overseas, to tell you the truth. That was my motivation.

"It's a great idea, a great fraternity and network around the world of people who are very passionate about their recreational sport, it's good to keep it in Kiwi hands."

Mactaggart hopes that at some stage in the future a major Golden Oldies event can be brought to Hawke's Bay.

While he said it is "very early days" he added that it is "certainly my thinking for the future."

Hawke's Bay has a strong Golden Oldies rugby community already that runs their own mini-tournaments, and there are similar communities around the world.

Details of the three 2022 tournaments are yet to be announced but they will be across four sports – rugby, netball, hockey and cricket.