Axemen united in New Year battle

The numbers lining up in the youth novice event at the annual Opononi Axeman's Carnival on New Year's Day made for an encouraging sight for local woodchopping stalwarts. Photo / Debbie Beadle

There were plenty of highlights at the 114th Opononi Axeman's Carnival on New Year's Day but for stalwarts of the competitive woodchopping scene, the most encouraging aspect was the strong turnout by competitors in the novice division.

Event organiser Bill Carter noted the annual woodchopper's ball had been established in 1903 but was now the only event left standing from what had once been a prolific provincial circuit.

"We had a great line-up of novice axemen from 16 years old. Never had such a strong field of juniors," he said, noting the turnout boded particularly well for the future of the sport.

The day's card featured three standing events, two underhand events and an underhand championship.

From left: Kelvin Davis (Northland Labour Party MP), Northland axeman Jason Wynyard, Andrew Little (New Zealand Labour Party leader) and Rudy Taylor (Labour Party supporter). Photo / Debbie Beadle

One of the highlights saw Selwyn Semenoff taking out the Bill Shelford Memorial (a tribute to a legendary woodchopper from the area who helped the New Zealand team lift the prestigious trans Tasman challenge trophy off the Australians for the first time ever when the annual event was contested back in 1964).

This was contested as a standing 12" chop by a field of 16 top Northland axemen, with Tim Reuben finishing second and Bill Carter third.

Another highlight was the presence of world champion Jason Wynyard, the day after being named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year's honours list.

Other notable axemen in action at Opononi on January 1 were Jesse Whitehead from Waiuku and Chris Lord from Waitomo.

"It was a great day," Bill concluded.