Levin strongman Stephen Burnell attempts to pull a fire engine aheasd of the first-ever Horowhenua Strongman and Woman event, to be held at the Horowhenua AP&I Show next year.
Levin strongman Stephen Burnell attempts to pull a fire engine aheasd of the first-ever Horowhenua Strongman and Woman event, to be held at the Horowhenua AP&I Show next year.
Do you have what it takes to be the strongest man or woman in Horowhenua?
A new Horowhenua Strongest Man and Woman competition will add some real muscle to the annual Levin AP&I Show early next year, and would be modelled on similar events held throughout New Zealand.
Taking centre stage on the Saturday and Sunday of the Levin show next month, it will pit competitors in six different disciplines in an arena to be set up in the main carpark of the Levin Showgrounds.
Levin strongman Willy Eagle attempts to pull a Fire Engine.
One interesting test of strength and stamina would require competitors to carry an old 135kg anvil that belonged to organiser and local strongman Stephen Burnell.
There was a story behind the anvil. It originally belonged to his grandfather Barry Burnell, a former farmer who was very involved in the annual Levin show throughout his life through organising and competing.
Burnell said anvils that size and weight were rare.
"It's hard to get your hands on one," he said.
Levin man Stephen Burnell with the 135kg anvil that belonged to his late grandfather Barry Burnell.
The 30-year-old had now been competing in strongman events for the last three years. He trained hard and was incredibly strong.
In October, he finished a close second in the under-105kg class in the New Zealand Strongman competition held in Auckland.
Levin strongman Stephen Burnell carries a 135kg anvil that used to belong to his late grandfather, Barry Burnell.
Burnell said the Levin show was a chance to showcase the popular sport in Horowhenua and to attract more competitors.
"It's a chance to grow the sport and share my passion for strongman. The more people participating, the more the sport will grow," he said.
There were already 30 competitors from around New Zealand that had registered for the Levin and Burnell said he was really keen to see locals get involved, too.
"We were only expecting to get entries from the lower North Island but already we have athletes from Auckland and Christchurch that have entered," he said.
There would be six different events to decide the overall winners. One task was a log press, one was pulling a truck, while another was an axle deadlift.
Stephen Burnell with the 135kg anvil.
Burnell runs a gymnasium in Levin that caters for strong men and women. He said the anvil would be used as a test of strength on the last day of the show. Competitors would have to carry the anvil as far as they could.
"The anvil carry will be held at the end of the competition on the last day so it will be a test of who can endure the most pain," he said.
There would be open entry to six different categories: Novice men, novice women, open weight men, open weight women, under 85kg women, open weight men, and under 105kg women.
Burnell said already sponsors were showing interest and there would be cash prizes for the winners of the four main categories, he said.
Two spotters walk along Levin strongman Stephen Burnell as he walks the 135kg anvil as far as he can.
Meanwhile, organisers of the Levin AP&I Show, have welcomed the new addition to their stable of show events as it was a perfect fit.
They were hopeful it would become an annual attraction, running alongside their time-honoured competitions, like woodchopping, showjumping and sheep shearing.
It was sure to add interest to what was already a popular show that had now been running for 115 years.
The Levin AP&I Show would be held the weekend of January 23 and 24, 2021.
