ACTION PACKED WEEKEND AT THE FORD RANGER NEW ZEALAND RURAL GAMES.

The eleventh edition of the popular Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games returned to Palmerston North in March 2026.

The popular three-day event at Te Marae o Hine, Palmerston North’s The Square, attracted an impressive crowd of 45,000 people, making it the largest edition of the games yet.

The weekend was packed with thrilling competitions in various rural sports, including wood chopping, coal shovelling, sheep shearing, gumboot throwing, and sheepdog trials.

The Sports Inc. crew was on hand to capture all the action. Our one-hour highlights episode of the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games aired on TVNZ, with a further nine sport-specific shows screening on TVNZ+.