Mower rage brawler unrepentent

Photo / Andrew Wallace

Wanaka man Willy Boyd says he is not sorry for turning a ride-on lawnmower race into a brawl at the Lake Hayes A & P Show on Saturday.

Mr Boyd, a manager at a Wanaka mower and chainsaw shop, saw red when his ride-on lawnmower was shunted by a bigger machine driven by Queenstown landscaping contractor Simon Hunt.

"I was seriously worried he was going to tip me over," Mr Boyd said of the incident, which escalated when Mr Boyd confronted Mr Hunt and punched him.

Mr Hunt said last night he would comment on the incident in a press release today.

Mr Boyd's boss, Mark Mclellan - who is also the main sponsor of the mower race at Lake Hayes - said several collisions during the race were deliberate.

The heavier machine could have potentially tipped Mr Boyd's smaller mower over and ridden over the top of them, he said.

"There's not going to be any apologies from us. I totally condone the response," he said.

Mr Mclellan dispelled any suggestion there was a feud between the mowing contractors.

However, the fracas could earn both drivers lifetime bans from competing in lawnmowing races at the Lake Hayes A & P Show.

Show president Mike Smith said the lawnmowing race was governed by rules and regulations: "Clearly these two individuals have been involved in an incident that does not comply with these.

"The society does not condone this sort of behaviour and the individuals concerned in the dispute will no longer be involved in the show."

Sergeant Brian Cameron, of Queenstown, yesterday said police had not received any complaints about the incident.

"If we do, obviously we'll look into it."

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES