The Ford New Zealand Rural Sports Awards are set for a landmark event on Friday, 13 March 2026, as organisers announce the finalists for the nation’s premier rural sports honours alongside the launch of the New Zealand Rural Sports Hall of Fame and
Rural sports are set to reach a national audience like never before. Next year, TVNZ 1 will air the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games 2026 highlights programme and stream a further nine programmes on TVNZ+. The Ford Ranger New
A new award will shine a light on rural mental health heroes at the 2026 Ford New Zealand Rural Sports Awards, for which nominations are now open. Ford New Zealand’s Managing Director, Annaliese Atina said both Ford and the team
The Ford New Zealand Rural Sports Awards celebrated the very best of rural athleticism, with world champion tree climber Steph Dryfhout taking centre stage as the Ford Supreme New Zealand Rural Sportsperson. Steph’s outstanding achievements also earned her the RX
Preserving the legacy of our rural heritage for future generations
The self-confessed sports nut grew up on a South Otago Farm in a multi-generational New Zealand farming family.
Paul’s life has been immersed in sports – from a playing, administration and media perspective. An Otago representative in three sports, he represented New Zealand in marathon for eight years.
Paul established the Otago Sports Awards in 1990, developed the judging criteria and convened the judging panel for 17 years. He was also heavily involved in setting the criteria and convening the judging for the South Otago Sports Awards held biennially. He is the former chief executive of Sport Otago and Central Lakes Trust and served on the Sport New Zealand Board and the New Zealand Masters Games committee, among many others.
Since the Halberg Trust Emerging Talent Award was established, Paul has been a member of the Awards Judging panel and was awarded Life Trustee of the Halberg Disability Foundation.
Sir David Fagan is a New Zealand sheep shearer from Te Kuiti. Fagan has won the New Zealand Golden Shears contest a record 16 times, as well as setting 10 world records and winning numerous other world and national titles. Fagan was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2016 New Year honours, following his last season on the shearing circuit.
Barbara Kuriger is was elected as the Member of Parliament for Taranaki – King Country in 2014. In 2012, she was named Diary Woman of the Year and has been a of the Boards of DairyNZ, Primary ITO Board, Taratahi, Dairy Women’s Network, and NZ Young Farmers.
Steve Hollander is the founder of the NZ Rural Games Trust and a key figure in promoting New Zealand’s rural sports and community. In 2013, his pioneering vision led to the creation of the Trust, which successfully launched flagship events including the NZ Rural Games, the Rural Sports Awards, Agri Futures, and Clash of The Colleges.
His entrepreneurial drive extends beyond events. He is also involved with Future Post, an innovative company that recycles plastic waste into durable fence posts. A Christchurch-born sports enthusiast with a degree in Physical Education from the University of Otago, Steve has played multiple sports at a premier club level and still enjoys cricket and a hit of golf on a Wednesday afternoon. His favourite rural sport is wood chopping.
After extensive international travel, he returned to New Zealand, where his experience in the travel industry evolved into a specialisation in event travel management for major sporting events. Along with his wife Karen, he is passionate about harness racing and has been breeding, owning and amateur driving horses for many years out of their lifestyle property north of Auckland.
Wiggy has had a career as an MC and commentator in the racing and rural sector. He commentated the FMG Young Farmer of the Year for six years and is a prominent voice for rural communities. He is the force behind the Whatever with Wiggy Charitable Trust and runs Lean on a Gate which promotes resources for the professionals, family and co-workers that work in positions that are often turned to for talking to a mate about mental distress.
Paul is the inaugural Lifetime Legacy Award winner at the New Zealand Rural Sports Awards Paul retired from competing in 2016 after a fall from a horse on his sheep and beef farm. Paul’s competition career spanned the 1990s to 2016. No one else has ever – or is likely to ever again – repeat the staggering number of wins and podium finishes he had through his 31-year competitive fencing career. He has under his belt 14 Wiremark Golden Pliers New Zealand National Singles Championship Titles, 12 Fieldays Silver Spades New Zealand National Doubles Championship Titles and two Patura World Power Fencing Champion Titles. In 2014 he was half of the first father and son (Jason) combination to win the Fieldays Silver Spades. Paul continues to help drive NZFC.
Ali Wieringa is a respected sports administrator, coach, and athlete with a deep commitment to athletic development from grassroots to the international level. She has been a foundational member of the NZ Rural Games (NZRG) team since its inaugural event in Queenstown.
Her career is distinguished by high-performance coaching roles, during which she has guided teams including NZA, the Magic, Northern Force, and various provincial and age-group sides. Her experience is comprehensive, encompassing governance and mentorship roles such as serving as the National Performance Director of Welsh Netball, a Netball NZ selector, a mentor for the Tania Dalton Foundation, and a judge for the Bay of Plenty Sports Awards.
Beyond netball, Ali is the Relationship Manager at the Aquatic Survival Skills Trust in the Bay of Plenty, the Co-Director of Kerali Golf – Golf Events Company, and a Board member of the Adastra Foundation.
Born and raised on the family farm in Walton, Ali’s favourite rural sport is Timbersports – however she’s not fussed on the Hotsaw! A former top-level netball athlete, her extensive coaching and administrative career fuels her passion for helping others achieve their potential in sport and life.
Sign up to the New Zealand Rural Games e-newsletter for information updates about the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Sports Awards.
