Editorial: Our big sporting winners

The Bay of Plenty can lay claim to cricket world cup star Trent Boult.

Sport was a big winner for Rotorua at the weekend. Our claims for producing topliners were enhanced in three big codes - cricket, rugby and horse racing.

The popularity of cricket continues to soar with the New Zealand Black Caps amassing an unbeaten record in pool play at the Cricket World Cup. Saturday's match against Australia saw Rotorua-born bowler Trent Boult haul in five wickets - a thrilling spectacle for fans.

You can read what Trent's family has to say about attending the match and the impact it had on them here.

Rotorua-born jockey Opie Bosson rode home three winners at Ellerslie racecourse in Auckland, including the plum ride aboard Mongolian Khan in the day's feature event the New Zealand Derby.

Parents Owen and Glenda Bosson, who live in Rotorua, weren't at the course but watched the races on television.

Opie, who's real name is a third generation in a line of Owens, continues to thrill his family in a demanding sport he took up in his teens when he left Rotorua aged 14 to begin his apprenticeship in Matamata 20 years ago.

His good fortune looks set to continue as he rides a favoured runner in Wednesday's Auckland Cup.

And the hopes of budding rugby stars in Rotorua were bolstered when the Chiefs super rugby squad posted a big score against the Crusaders.

Rotorua Daily Post recently reported Central Bay Of Plenty rugby had appointed new manager Brendon Webby to see more players from here make representative regional sides.

It's that kind of dedication and planning that can see young players aspire to more realistically reach the heights of Chiefs captain Liam Messam ... who Rotorua can also lay claim to.