Discover
Find out more about Palmerston North and Manawatu how to get to the Games.
;
The Square, Palmerston North
March 7, 8, 9 2025
At the heart of the Games are a series of traditional sports attracting top competitors from throughout Aotearoa. You can expect to see several national and world champions battling for prestigious titles.
Friday is the Men’s TIMBERSPORTS® Championships, Agri Futures Careers Expo and Clash of the Colleges – where hundreds of teens battle it out for bragging rights.
Saturday and Sunday, we host championships for Highland Heavies, Sheep Dog Trials, Women’s and Rookies TIMBERSPORTS®, Fencing, Tree Climbing, Shearing, Gumboot and Cowpat Throwing, Egg Throw and Catch, and the inaugural Golden Loader NZ Forestry Championship and the North Island Secondary School Shearing Championships.
Kids ‘n Country features a host of fun events, including tree climbing, digger driving, miniature pony sulky rides, haybale races, climbing wall, miniature tractor races, tug-o-war and much more to keep under 12s active and entertained.
The Games offers a fun-packed festival programme with many Have a Go activities for all ages like Gumboot Throwing, gearing up a Standard Bred, Coal Shoveling, Egg Roulette, Egg Throw and Catch and Cowpat Tossing! Plus, delicious local food offerings.
The Games are managed by the non-profit NZ Rural Games Trust established in 2014 – CC50438
Find out more about Palmerston North and Manawatu how to get to the Games.