New sponsor for New Zealand Rural Games

Date: 02.08.2019

The New Zealand Rural Games Trust announced Ford Ranger as its new naming rights sponsor

From traditional rural games such as shearing, speed milking and hay stacking to log tossing, tree climbing, and olive stone spitting, the annual New Zealand Rural Games certainly serve up plenty of action. Now in its sixth year, the New Zealand Rural Games Trust proudly announced Ford Ranger as its new naming rights sponsor.

Palmerston North Deputy Mayor Tangi Utikere, NZ Rural Games Trust chair Margaret Kouvelis and Ford representative Matt Barr

The 2020 Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games will be held on 14 and 15 March in The Square in Palmerston North. New Zealand Rural Games trust chair, Margaret Kouvelis, made the announcement along with unveiling signage for the 2020 event.

"Having New Zealand’s number-one selling vehicle on-board as naming rights sponsor for this wonderful celebration of rural sports is a perfect fit," she says.

Ford New Zealand general marketing manager, Cameron Thomas, says, "Ford Ranger is pleased to support rural sports from shearing and the axemen through to the growing sport of tree climbing, sheepdog trials, and much more.

"Ford has watched the Rural Games progress from a regional event to a national event. It’s a weekend packed with fun for all ages and has a strong following. This year, its one-hour programme on TV3 won its timeslot and more than a quarter of a million people have watched the Rural Games YouTube channel in the past year alone."

Cameron adds that the Rural Games will help lift awareness of the Ford Ranger both in New Zealand and overseas as no other event in provincial New Zealand can. New Zealand Rural Games founder Steve Hollander says the games have gone from strength to strength, starting in Queenstown six years ago and being held in Palmerston North for the past three years.

"The games have grown, thanks to the strong support of rural New Zealand and the generous support of sponsors over the years. Now, we begin a new chapter by welcoming Ford Ranger to the New Zealand Rural Games family."

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