Injury rules out Whanganui's two-time National 4x4 champion Hamish Auret

Hamish Auret and co-driver Paul Barnes will be missing from the rough and tumble of round one of the National 4x4 Trial Championships in the Hutt Valley this weekend.

Two-time New Zealand champion Hamish Auret will be missing from round one of the 2018/2019 National 4x4 Trial Championships this weekend on doctor's orders.

The Whanganui racer broke his leg in mid-October while working on the farm at home and while the leg may have mended enough for him to drive, subsequent complications have forced him to pull pin on round one.

"Wearing the cast has caused blood clots and the medication they have me on prevents me from driving," Auret said.

"I'm having daily injections and while I'm on the medication the doctor tells me any knock to the head could be life-threatening, so I have no option to miss round one. My leg break has pretty much healed enough for me to drive, but I just can't risk it at the moment. I should be right for round two in early December."

Hamish Auret, pictured with head nurses Emily and Ella Auret, has been ruled out of round one of the National 4x4 Trial Championships this weekend.

His highly competitive nature is spurring him on to continue with the remaining five rounds and hopefully take the title again.

Last season Auret and co-driver Paul Barnes finished equal on points with Auckland brothers Scott and Jarred Biggs, who eventually claimed the title on countback.

"It was pretty close and I'm gutted to miss round one this Saturday. You are allowed to drop your worst round and bank on the best five of six rounds to get you through, so obviously we are dropping round one. It will make it harder for us, but we are determined to give it a crack. The truck is going very well and is just waiting for me to come right.

"It won't be easy with several new big horsepower trucks entering this year. Scott and Jarred Biggs have split the partnership and have a truck each and both will drive."

Multiple national champions and fellow Whanganui driver Dan Cowper has re-entered the championship and has already told his good mate he will take advantage of the no show this weekend to sneak a lead.

"Dan has already told me he's going to take full advantage of me not being there and he will be hard to beat. Dan and I are pretty much the only ones left from Whanganui in the championships this season," Auret said.

"Mike Gee-Taylor is selling his truck and getting into jetboats and Grant Harrison is taking a year off, so that pretty much just leaves me and Dan."

Round one will be hosted by the Valley 4x4 Club in Upper Hutt on Saturday, while round two is near Palmerston North hosted by the Manawatu 4x4 Club on December 1.