Taihape gets the boots out

RACING: Sack racing with Kayden Iller, 4, and organiser Elizabeth Mortland.

It's that time again.

Time to throw the gummie, throw and catch eggs, race inside sacks and stack hay bales at Taihape's Gumboot Day.

For the 31st year Taihape is the scene of the fun on March 12 at Memorial Park, starting at 10am.

Organiser Elizabeth Mortland said the two new national record holders in the New Zealand egg throwing and catching championship held at the Rural Games in Queenstown, Brent Newdick and Luke Wainui, will show their prowess on Saturday in Taihape.

The egg competition features two-person teams and the pair are up for defending their title, she said.

The winner is the team who can throw and catch a raw egg over the greatest distance.

The team starts off 10 metres apart. After each throw the pair moves further apart at 10 metres a time.

The eggs are being supplied by Kairanga Eggs in Taihape this year, she said.

Gumboot Day was all about a taste of life in a small Kiwi town and it's never, ever boring, she said.

Gumboot plank racing is a huge hit with two planks laid side-by-side, and two pairs of gumboots on each plank, so it needs four competitors to get the gummies on and stride it out.

But it's tossing the gumboot which most people head to Taihape for, she said.

"Most entrants will be hoping their throw will get them into the North Island gumboot-throwing champs at 2pm.

"It's our Taihape day and we're very proud of it" she said.