South Island Gumboot Throwing Championship: Canterbury farmer Andrew Letham takes the title - Opinion

Andrew Letham (left) South Island Gumboot Throwing Champion.

Kem Ormond is a feature writer for NZME community newspapers and The Country. She caught up with Lauriston farmer and new South Island gumboot throwing champion, Andrew Letham.

OPINION

Vying for the South Island Gumboot Throwing Championship has been on everyone’s calendar the past few weeks.

It, along with the Ashburton A&P Show has come and gone with the prize-winning gumboot having found a new home.

Andrew Letham is now the overall winner of the South Island Gumboot Throwing Championship with a mighty throw of 33.6 metres.

Letham was at a golf competition when I phoned for a chat.

He told me he never gets off the farm but it sounds like he may have a competitive streak in him when it comes to sport.

Now, gumboot throwing is a bit of art and harder than you think.

The regulation gumboot is a Skellerup Red Band Perth — size 8 for men and a size 5 for women.

Participants throw the gumboot as far as they can, with the longest throw the winner.

I am sure we have all thrown one at the wild pig or goat that has made its way into the vegetable garden.

The wind can be a factor, making it flip flop and there is a bit of a technique to it — or so I am told.

While there are various categories, to give everyone the opportunity to throw the gumboot, there is only one winner from the men’s category, who will head north in March for a chance to win the National Gumboot Throwing title at the Ford Ranger Rural Games in Palmerston North.

Although Letham’s throw of 33.6m was not quite up there with previous throwers and winners, it was a spur-of-the-moment throw, as he had just spent the morning judging sheep (is there nothing this man cannot do?).

Even overseas visitors have been known to throw a boot or two. Photo / Jason Oxenham

He had been so busy in the morning, he completely forgot about the gumboot throwing competition.

He finally “rocked up” (his words) at 3pm, only to be told, “Too late, the finals are about to start, but if one of the semi-finalists doesn’t turn up, you can have a throw”.

He could be a wild card.

There was a no-show, so Letham got his opportunity to go for gold.

And this wildcard pulled it off, taking the prize for the men’s section and taking the top spot from last year’s winner, Craig Mason.

I asked Letham the secret to his win: “just pick up the gumboot and just throw, no technique at all.”

When not throwing gumboots, Letham can be seen wearing them.

The 38-year-old farmer is from Lauriston, near Rakaia, Methven.

He runs his family farm, which is mainly sheep and cropping.

He always supports the Ashburton Show, competing sheep from his studs.

So, it is off to Palmerston North next month to vie for the national title, although it could be a bit tricky, Letham has another engagement in Auckland on the same day, but I am sure this farmer can multitask. — no problem.