MANGAWHAI'S NO.1 NEWSPAPER
|
|
Boar Hunt brings community togetherA small town turns out for a social event unlike any other.
The Kaiwaka Boar Hunt creates a unique atmosphere, and even for non-hunters it has high interest factor appreciating the work of the hunters, the spectacle of the wild pigs plus the snapper and eel catches in which the kids are also involved. Gumboots, swannies, 4WD utes, Game Gear clothing, and the smell of the chase along with a spit roast and a beer makes the weekend a successful one for hunters regardless of their catch. In this sport guys and girls are on equal footing. If you can run a pack of dogs and use a knife you’re a worthy contestant. Weigh-in and prize giving is a day all families look forward to, just to see who has caught the big ones be they pigs, pheasant or snapper and eels which the kids also take part in, no doubt as part of their apprenticeships leading to the more serious task of the big boars. The fish auction was again keenly contested, locals appreciating this tasty dish that only the Kaipara can deliver. The three day fixture attracted hunters from as far afield as Te Kao and the Coromandel, and although not all were successful in catching their quarry the thrill of the hunt is the prime factor of the sport. This was also the seventh year for organiser Vic Birkenhead who has also been a crusader for this and many other events all around the Kaipara and further north during which he has amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of prizemoney and product for the sport, almost part of a staple diet for rural northlanders. Three Furlongs Bar and Grill really turned it on too, with a wide variety of food and beverages for young and old and, after prizegiving, local covers band Happy Fish rocked the night away. This was, however, the swansong for Vic, announcing his retirement as organiser. “Time for someone else to take over,” he says. “I need to spend less time organising and more time hunting.” Vic offered a huge vote of thanks to all the regular sponsors and volunteers who help spread the word and organise the nuts and bolts which make the day a success for the Point Curtis Cruising Club who are major helpers and make good of this annual fundraiser.
|