Every year on or about the first weekend of November, members from the New Zealand Bowhunters Society converge on Puketirini Park (formally known as Weaver Park) at Huntly in the heart of Koi Carp country. The ‘Classic’, is the brainchild of Allan Metcalfe, a past President of the Society and it has become one of the premier events on the New Zealand Bowhunters Society calendar. Entrants must be members of the Society.
There is a very social atmosphere at the venue with competitors camped at Puketirini Park on Friday and Saturday nights.
Shooting can start at daylight on Saturday and Sunday and competitors can hunt carp anywhere in Waikato River and lake systems, the ‘Classic’ is a bowfishing only tournament. At the end of each days shooting competitors must return and weigh in their carp at the Puketirini site. Huge numbers of carp can be weighted in at this tournament every year.
Statistical information about ‘The Classic Through the Years’ can be read here – you will find the records of past tournament right back to 1990.
The Huntley Rotary Club have a big part to play as they provide catering, handle the weigh in duties and deal with the distribution of burley.
The Department of Conservation and Solid Energy are both major backers and continues to sponsor our event every year.
The annual DoC permit conditions apply and can be found here
Contestants can enter as individuals and as teams, (2 members only per team). Medals are presented at the completion of the ‘Classic’ for: Team Rules
- Heaviest Carp Saturday
- Heaviest Carp Sunday
- Heaviest Carp Overall
- Most Carp ( by and individual )
- Team Competition ( heaviest combined weight of Carp )
- Heaviest White Carp
- Heaviest Carp by a Junior (16 and under / minimum age 12)
- Smallest Koi Carp
- Heaviest Other Fish.
On site during the weekend the Society has a large burley machine that quickly breaks carp down ready to go into containers, and we encourage the public to come and take this burley away, or to attend the prize giving at the completion of the Sunday weigh in. There will be a designated parking area for the public.
Weighin’s are from 5- 7pm on Saturday & 2 – 4pm on Sunday. Prize giving is normally held at around 5pm on Sunday.