Young Farmers Fight Night raising money for Rural Support Trust

Posted by on 24 May 2016 | Comments

 

Young Farmers Fight Night raising money for Rural Support Trust

A New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) charity event is expected to raise a significant amount of money for the local Rural Support Trust this weekend, to help support the farming community during the dairy downturn.

The Fight Night for Charity is the brainchild of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty region and in particular Courtney Goodare and Tony Peake, who began the event in 2012 as a fun night out that would also enable the region to support community causes.

Following three successful sell-out events and nearly $20 000 raised for charities, the Fight Night shifted to a bi-enniel event with tickets sold out for this weekend's boxing battle shortly after going on sale.

Waikato/Bay of Plenty events co-ordinator Courtney Goodare said this year's event was special because of the tough times farmers were facing.

"And the Rural Support Trust provides an important service that sometimes gets overlooked."

The event also provided an opportunity for the rural community to take some time out from the farm, he said.

This year the Fight Night features ten bouts – including four female match ups. Fighters will spar for two minutes at a time for a maximum of three rounds and a number of Young Farmers are making long journeys to compete with boxers coming from Canterbury, East Coast and Manawatu.

While this year's event will be held at the Don Rowlands Centre at Lake Karapiro, Courtney and his team hope to upscale the event in 2018 and move it to Mystery Creek.

"I'd like to make it a national event for New Zealand Young Farmers."

Waikato-Hauraki-Coromandel Rural Support Trust chairman and Ohinewai dairy farmer Neil Bateup said it was 'really great' that NZYF was helping people in need during these difficult times.

"Young Farmers is an important part of the industry and Fight Night gives people under pressure the opportunity to get away and catch up and talk."

Mr Bateup said pain was being felt 'right across' the industry.

"It's important that we don't lose the young ones – they are the future of the industry."

NZYF was part of the 'great support' the Rural Support Trust had received from all parts of the community, he said.

"And we're very grateful."

For more information call Nadine Porter, Communications Manager on 0212140703, or Courtney Goodare on 0212033822