Local axemen on a roll at A and P show

The Masterton Axemen's Club is on a roll. Not only did their current members make a decent impact in wood chopping and sawing events staged by the club at the Wairarapa A and P Show at Clareville over the weekend but they could have attracted a handful of newcomers to the sport as well.
"We had three or four people approach us with the idea of coming along and trying themselves out, hopefully they'll enjoy it and join up,"club spokesperson Liz Nicholson said.
Strengthening the Masterton contingent at Clareville was the return of former New Zealand representative Faavae Sefo, who did not compete last season.
He was one of the many Masterton members to make the prize list, along with Dave Bashford, Aiden Strother, Eddie Fawcett, Greg Smith and Neil Bashford.
They were up against stern opposition from Rotorua, Taupo, Hawke's Bay, Wanganui, Levin, Kapiti Coast, Hutt Valley and Wellington in what was the first major meet of the season.
New Zealand Colt Shane Jordan of Taupo provided one of the highlights when he won the final of the Kingi Peneha Memorial 325mm underhand chop, an event in which local Aiden Strother was placed second.
New Zealand A reps Patrick Barrett from Otaki and Steven Knowles from Hawke's Bay also featured prominently while world women's champion underhand chopper, Alma Wallace of Otaki, won her speciality event and competed strongly against the men.