MEDIA RELEASE
14 May 2008
Northland Rural Bachelor comes out on top
The Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year 2008 was announced today with Northland finalist, Mark Woodcock (35) taking top
honours and Charlie Taituha (22), representing the King Country taking away the Cycletime People’s Choice award.
Bachelor heats have been a big attraction at Fieldays over the past three days with the boys competing to show off their
rural skills and bachelor eligibility in a range of heats from the STIHL Chainsaw Champs and Fencing to the New Zealand
Pork Brekkie Bloke heat, Bachelor Pageant heat and a Bachelor auction that saw an RD1 stock auctioneer sell them off
with proceeds going to the Tamahere Firefighters Families Fund.
Competition Coordinator, Gemma Antoniadis, said that the 2008 group of finalists were of a quality that would have made
the judges decision difficult. “There were Rural Bachelor finalists from around the country, giving everyone someone to
support and they all gave every challenge a good go,” she said.
Competition was fierce throughout the competition with several heats too close to call. The Suzuki Cheerleaders were
involved in several heats, putting the Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year finalists through their paces in front of
large crowds. Winner, Mark Woodcock was consistent in the heats and won the RD1 heat in which Bachelors had to put
together a wheelbarrow and transport their cheerleader in it. Woodcock was also fastest entrant in the STIHL Chainsaw
Champs.
(More)
Paul Slater, 2007 Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year, was at the presentation this afternoon to pass on the title and
the Golden Gumboot trophy after spending this year’s competition judging the new crop of Bachelors. Woodcock also takes
away $5,000 cash, an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Cook Islands, Waikato Draught, a STIHL gear pack and product
from Swanndri and Skellerup.
Slater, along with 2007 Cycletime Peoples Choice Award winner, Gareth Barnes, who was also a judge, said that judging
was tough. “It’s given us a real appreciation of how hard a job the Bachelor judges have,” they said. “But being a good
all-round competitor and a top rural bloke won Mark the title.”
Charlie Taituha, who won the Cycletime Peoples Choice Award was a clear winner in the category and also received plenty
of support from spectators at the heats. He’ll take away a mountain bike from Cycletime, worth $1,000.
Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year was proudly sponsored by Classic Hits along with supporting sponsors Cook Islands
Tourism, Swanndri, Skellerup, STIHL, Hyundai, Waikato Draught, NZ Pork and RD1.
(Ends)