HORORATA HIGHLAND GAMES 2024
Athlete Profiles
Our community is excited to welcome a massive field of New Zealand and international athletes to the Hororata Highland Games 9th November 2024.
Athletes will compete in three different heavy event categories. All categories will be hugely competitive, this will be an epic show to witness, a clash of the titans!
The premier category, the Oceania Heavyweight Championship, will see the Kiwi lads take on the best of the best from Australia.
There are some amazing female athletes taking the field from New Zealand and Australia.
For more on the heavy events CLICK HERE
Manawa Energy
The heartbeat of the heavies
Thanks to Ballagh Cabers for supplying the equipment.
Hororata Highland Games Championship Women’s Open
Brooke Rowbotham from Okuku NZ. Competed in the 2020 Hororata Highland Games for the first time and came 1st, came 2nd in 2022 and 2023.
Melanie Sparkes from Brisbane, Australia. This is Melanie’s first time at Horoata, although her husband is 3 times Oceania Heavyweight Champion. Melaine has competed in Australia at the Glen Innes Highland Games x2 (3rd place) Warwick Australian Championships, Melbourne Highland Games (1st Place Masters)
Zoe McVicar from Christchurch. This is Zoe’s first taste of Highland Games.
Aisha Burtt – from Christchurch. Aisha does not have prior experience in Highlander games but has competed in MMA and other sports for 12+ years.
Kelly Drummond – from Christchurch. This is her first time competing in any Highland Games. I have a background in powerlifting and currently hold the Canterbury deadlift record for 200.5kg.
Lois Burtt – from Darfield. First Highland Games!
Jayden Neven – from Christchurch. First Highland Games.
Hororata Highland Games Championship Men’s
SIÔN Hughes from Waitakere NZ. Competed in Highland Games across NZ since 2019
Jesse Bown from Ashburton NZ. This will be his second Hororata Highland Games.
Connor O’Brien from Christchurch NZ. Has competed at Hororata since 2017 and won the title in 2023.
Huw Donaldson local lad from Darfield. Huw has competed at Paeroa and Hororata for the past few years.
Hayden Stanley from Christchurch is competing in the Hoorata Highland Games for the first time.
Dylan Kawana-Waugh from Crownthorpe, Hastings. First competed at Hororata in 2013 and is returning for the first time since. Recently completed at Wiapu and Paeroa.
Reuben Ellison from Christchurch is competing for the first time in Highland Games.
Ethan Burgess from Hororata (via Invercargill). Ethan has volunteered for a number of years at the Games and is a bag piper. he has been inspired to give the heavy events a go this year!
