South African Rugby Fans Enjoy a Good Hunt
South African Rugby supporters and some team members have been enjoying pig and deer hunting in the central North Island. More used to the vast savannah grassland of home and travelling great distances to hunt, the visitors have appreciated the ease of access they’ve experienced here.
When overhearing a couple of South African supporters say they were bored of bars and buses, Taupo secondary school teacher and lifestyle block owner, Shannon Harrington, got chatting and realising they were keen hunters back home, offered to take them pig hunting. They shot two and having kept their outing a secret from the rest of their group, back at their hotel were both envied and pilloried by their compatriots.
Shannon Harrington’s family, including wife Jenny and three-year-old son Flynn, hunt. He says they get great satisfaction from the sport.
“Hunting is the opposite to cruel,” he says. “The animals are free range, they’re killed humanely and utilised. Hunting is good exercise, helps control wild animals and gives us a sense of adventure as well as providing us with food.”
How to cook wild food is another attraction at the SIKA show. Together with wild game butchers chefs from local Taupo restaurants will demonstrate how easy it is to prepare tasty and healthy meals from wild game, and how to create wild flavours from farmed venison, pork and beef.
Mark Bridgman hopes the free samples of their savoury sensations will whet appetites for wild food and give people confidence to try new methods at home. A range of cooking appliances from smokers to barbecues will also be on show, with experts demonstrating their best use.
Young children usually do best at the ‘roaring competition’ but it’s open to everyone and always draws a crowd.
The SIKA Show is at the Taupo Event Centre on 15 and 16 October. Like us on Facebook or check out www.sikashow.co.nz.
Ends.
More information:
Mark Bridgman: 07 378 4593
Shannon Harrington: 07 378 6425