17 March 2017
News Release
Woodchopper Jack Jordan wins Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson of the Year
Woodchopping champ Jack Jordan, who is sponsored by Husqvarna, has won the title of Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson
of the Year at the 2017 Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards.
Held at the Awapuni Racecourse in Palmerston North on Friday 10 March, the awards were sponsored by CB Norwood
Distributors and presented by the New Zealand Rural Games Trust alongside strategic partner Federated Farmers of New
Zealand. Considered the ‘Halbergs for the rural sector’, the awards celebrate sporting excellence among New Zealand’s
largely unsung rural heroes.
Jack Jordan of Taranaki was chosen over two other athletes for the Young NZ Rural Sportsperson of the Year title, an
award which acknowledges up-and-coming kiwi youth participating in professional rural sport.
In 2016, Jack won three underhand open wood chopping world titles and is hoping to add more accolades to his belt this
year.
“I’m aiming to compete in three events in Australia and 10 to 15 in New Zealand this year and I’m training hard for them
every day. Husqvarna has been really supportive in helping me achieve my goals – they provide gear to help me practice
and funding for travel costs which really starts to add up after a while!” says Jack.
Winners were chosen by a judging panel chaired by former All Black captain and World Cup winning coach, Sir Brian
Lochore, as well as President of Shearing Sports New Zealand Sir David Fagan, Olympic equestrian medallist Judy ‘Tinks’
Pottinger, MP for Taranaki-King Country Barbara Kuriger, founder and trustee of the Hilux New Zealand Rural Games Steve
Hollander plus three respected agricultural journalists, Craig ‘Wiggy’ Wiggins, Tony Leggett and Jamie Mackay.
The awards were held the night before the Hilux New Zealand Rural Games, where Jack competed and came third in the
ANZAXE Trans-Tasman Wood Chopping Championship, his brother, Shane Jordan, winning the title. Husqvarna are proud
sponsors of the family-fun, two-day event celebrating the ‘sports that built the nation’.
-Ends-