Wild, family fun awaits in weekend hunting contest

A rip-snorting family friendly event will be held in Reporoa this weekend.

Entries are still open for the Reporoa Pig Hunting Club's annual Wild Boar Competition at the Woolshed Tavern, featuring more than $10,000 worth of prizes and spot prizes.

Being a family-focused club, there is also a children's event including boars, possums, rabbits, hares, eels and a mixed bag section. As it is every year, entry is free.

Club president Kevin Ball said the weigh-in event had been designed to include juniors, with their own prizegiving before the open competition prizes were awarded.

"The Reporoa Pig Hunting Club is all about family. Each child that enters on the day gets a free meal and an entry prize," Mr Ball said.

He said he was looking forward to seeing a good crowd turn out with some good pigs weighed in: "With a lot of fun on the day for all the family."

Last year's weigh-in attracted 500 people and a record number of pigs weighed in.

"It was the biggest turnout in six years. There were 64 pigs weighed in."

Another attraction will be the men's and women's boar-carrying contests and the children's possum race, Mr Ball said.

"I'm urging anyone who is intrigued, or who has an interest in pig hunting to come down and have a chat to some of our members, and enjoy our main event of the year."

He said club membership was strong with 70 members - almost half of them juniors.

Some of the funds raised from the event will be donated to Reporoa St John Ambulance.

Tickets are limited to 200 and are available from Hunting and Fishing New Zealand (Taupo and Rotorua) and The Woolshed Tavern, until 10pm today. The competition will officially run from 5am tomorrow with the final weigh-in at 2pm on Sunday.

For more information, see the website facebook.com/ReporoaPigHuntingClub.