In the end, the event's main winner was Mount Maunganui's Cody Cooper, the six-time former national MX1 champion winning both the premier MX1 races in Sunday's abbreviated senior programme, earning him the prestigious Woodville crown, but, for the FIM Oceania Challenge Cup sub-plot, it was a slightly different story.
On both occasions the runner-up to Cooper in the MX1 class on Sunday was Gold Coast rider Kirk Gibbs, Australia's MX1 class nominee for the FIM Oceania Challenge Cup battle-within-a-battle.
Cooper had earned 50 points from his two wins, while Gibbs — actually the current New Zealand MX1 champion — had a tally of 44 points for the weekend.
Australian Wilson Todd finished first and third in his two MX2 (senior 250cc) class races, while the Kiwi hopes for MX2 class ascendancy rested with Mangakino's Maximus Purvis, who crossed the finish line fourth and then second.
The other class results in the head-to-head FIM Oceania exchange were something of a mixed bag, but, when the final tally was done, Australia had won the FIM Oceania Challenge Cup by a solitary point.
"It was really cool to win this and our juniors really pulled their weight," said Australian MX1 star Gibbs.
"Heading into the senior day, Australia was up in the points and then Wilson (Todd) did really well and I was consistent. It was really close and good to bring it home. We really enjoyed the banter with the Kiwis too."
FIM Oceania results:
Australia: Kirk Gibbs (MX1) 2-2; Wilson Todd (MX2) 1-3; Brad West (Jnr 250) 1-1-1; Jason West (8-11 85cc) 4-7-9; Hayley Ball (8-11 85cc) 32-DNS-27 and (8-11 65cc) 15-20-DNS; Brooke Ball (65cc) 19-19-20.
New Zealand: Cody Cooper (Mt Maunganui, MX1) 1-1; Maximus Purvis (Mangakino, MX2) 4-2; James Rountree (Whanganui, Jnr 250) 2-2-2; Cole Davies (Waitoki, 8-11 85cc) 1-0-1; Breanna Rodgers (Tokoroa, 8-11 85cc) 23-20-18; Ruby Piraka (Rolleston, 8-11 65cc) 22-22-18; Karaitiana Horne (Raetihi, 8-11 65cc) 18-18-19.