Young farmers organise fight night

Te Kawa West young farmers (Te Awamutu district) have come up with what promises to be a popular event during Fieldays week.

After the gap left in the calendar by the demise of the Rural Bachelor event, the Te Kawa West club has organised a Young Farmers Fight Night that sets to challenge other North Island districts’ finest.

Holly Smith, left, about to throw the first punch of a training fight at Te Awamutu Boxing Club, under the watchful eye of her coach Rodd Jefferies, right. Photo: Rebecca Smith

And Te Kawa West club treasurer Holly Smith, 22 is one of four women getting ready to climb into the ring.

“Originally I just liked the idea of a regular fitness scheme. Boxing is totally another form and level of fitness, but the more training I went to and the more coaching I received the more confident I became in myself and in the ring.”

Other fighters are also lining up at the Te Awamutu Boxing Club for the four training sessions a week run by Rodd Jefferies.

Monday nights consist of hill sprints while every other night is in the ring. Holly said if it had not been for the extensive training and coaching she would not have decided to compete.

“Rodd is a very good, hard coach so he knows how to push you and get you out of your comfort zone. When you want to get out he makes you stay. ‘You’re done when I say you’re done’ – this is a term you can often hear throughout trainings in the ring.”

Young Farmers Fight Night is a charitable event on Friday June 15. The night has a full card of fights with all proceeds going to the Westpac air ambulance.

The event started as an idea between Te Kawa West young farmers that quickly escalated when other young farmers in the North Island heard about it. With the rapid response Te Kawa West young farmers president Courtney Goodare and fellow member Tony Peake started organizing the night.

“There was so much interest that we had to broaden the horizon to other branches and Young Farmer clubs around the North Island. Me and Tony do things out of impulse. We are also training to be skydiving instructors and we only started that because of one night over a few beers watching Nitro Circus,” Mr Goodare said.

Tickets range from $45 to $80 depending on table positioning. Purchase your ticket for the Young Farmers Fight Night here.