The Duke and Duchess will compete in a gumboot throw competition after dedicating a protected native forest to the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy at an event hosted by QEII National Trust next week.

Mike Jebson, QEII National Trust CEO says “we wanted to give the Royal couple a taste of rural New Zealand, and there’s nothing more quintessentially Kiwi than a gumboot throw!”

The Royal couple will captain teams made up of school children who are also planting native trees with The Duke and Duchess as part of the event. Teams will compete for the ‘QEII National Trust Gumboot throw’ trophy, which will be awarded to the winning team to keep.

There has been speculation about the appropriateness of hosting a gumboot throw near Auckland, when Taihape is generally considered to be the gumboot throw capital of New Zealand (and some would say the world!).

“I know gumboot throws are something usually associated with Taihape, but rest assured, we have the blessing of Andrew Watson, Mayor of Rangitikei, to run this competition. Andy was pleased to hear that even though the couple couldn’t make it to Taihape, that gumboots would feature in the royal itinerary,” says Jebson.

ENDS

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