Taranaki axeman wins Rural Sportsperson of the Year award

Genevieve Berhent presenting the award to Jack Jordan.

Jack Jordan won the Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson of the Year award at last Friday's inaugural Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards.

The 24-year-old Taranaki axeman won three underhand open wood chopping world titles last year and was presented with his award by Genevieve Behrent, an Olympic silver medallist in the women's rowing pair at Rio 2016.

The gala event was held at Awapuni Racecourse, Palmerston North on Friday, March 10, the night before the Hilux New Zealand Rural Games where Jack was among several finalists competing.

Other finalists in Jack's category were Brody Channings (Hunterville) winner of the Bill Schuler Novice Round at the 2016 NZ National Fencing Championships, and New Zealand women's junior woolhandling champion, Angela Stevens (Napier).

Other winners on the night were:

Rowland Smith (shearing, Hastings) won New Zealand Rural Sportsman of the Year, presented in association with CB Norwood Distributors Ltd by double Olympic rowing gold medallist and 2017 New Zealand Sportsman of the Year Mah Drysdale.

Chrissy Spence (tree climbing, Gisborne) won New Zealand Rural Sportswoman of the Year; presented in association with 8 Wired Brewing by twice Olympic shot put champion and 2009 supreme Halberg Award winner Dame Valerie Adams.

Lance Waddell (shearing, Whangarei) won Contribution to New Zealand Rural Sports, presented in association with Federated Farmers of New Zealand by former All Black captain and World Cup winning coach, Sir Brian Lochore.