Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

The 2nd Annual New Zealand Cheese Rolling Championships were held in Southland last week in brilliantly fine conditions (unlike last year's mudfest!)

Based on the popular UK Cheese Rolling Champs, this kiwi version was started by the Henderson family in 2006. The family open up their family farm in Waikaka, Wendon Valley for the event.

Described as a bit of an "extreme sport", runners must chase after a round block of cheese, which is let loose from the top of a very steep hill (resulting in a lot of faceplants on the way down ;-) First person to 'capture the cheese' at the bottom wins!

In the UK, competitors chase after seven kg wheels of Double Gloucester... but here in the deep south, it's a smaller four kg block of Whitestone Windsor Blue, which organisers reckon has been selected specifically for local conditions.