HORORATA HIGHLAND GAMES 2025
Athlete Profiles
Get ready for an epic showdown at the Hororata Highland Games on 8th November 2025! Our community is thrilled to host a huge lineup of top New Zealand and international athletes competing across three intense heavy event categories. Every contest promises fierce competition and jaw-dropping feats of strength—truly a clash of titans!
The highlight of the day, the Oceania Heavyweight Championship, will see New Zealand’s finest take on elite challengers from Australia. And don’t miss the incredible female athletes from both countries, bringing power, skill, and excitement to the field. This is strength, skill, and spectacle at its very best!
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
Lauren Bruce from Timaru New Zealand. Lauren has no Highland Games experience, but she is a top athlete as a two-time Olympian in the Hammer Throw. Recently returned from third World Championships and looking for a different challenge.
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.
Fran Fizpatrick from Gisborne, Australia. Fran was the 2023 Hororata Women’s Winner. 2024 Masters Women’s 50-54 World Champion.
Julie Stechmann from Christchurch NZ is BACK to compete at Hororata having been away for the past 2 years because of injury. We are looking forward to seeing Julie back at full strength.
Zoe McVicar from Christchurch. Competed for the first time last year and loved it so is back again! Zoe has a background in weightlifting and crossfit.
Hororata Highland Games Championship – Men’s
Connor O’Brien from Christchurch NZ. Has competed at Hororata since 2017 and won the title in 2023 and 2024.
Huw Donaldson local lad from Darfield. Huw has competed at Paeroa and Hororata for the past few years.
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 last year and came 3rd so is back for another go!
Jamie Bryant from Invercargill. Jamie is new to Highland Games coming from a PowerLifting background. Strength Games has always been a goal for him.
Graham Campbell from Blenheim is competing in his first Highland Games.
Dave Armstrong from Kirwee (local lad)! This is something Dave has decided to challenge himself with and has been training hard since having a go at the Hororata Highland Games last year.
Jason Bavage from Tauranga. Jason’s first Hororata Highland Games but he has competed at Waipu and Paeroa recently.
