Hagen Hopkins
When Hayden Rasmussen picked up an axe for the first time, he was an eight-year-old boy trailing his dad around the country from one woodchopping competition to the next. Now 43 and a father himself, nothing brings him more joy than to watch his daughter Ruby continuing the family tradition while carving a legacy of her own.
“My dad gave me an axe and the rest is history,” he shares.
“I did the same for Ruby when she was about eight and she was away.”
Although Hayden admits he was a little unsure about starting Ruby so young, he needn’t have worried.
He tells, “Ruby’s been around the chopping ring her whole life, just like I have. My wife Katie said, ‘You’d better train this girl because she really wants to do it.’”
A family tradition
Smiling at her father, Ruby, now 15, adds, “I remember feeling pretty cool following my dad and chopping up blocks. I love that it’s something our whānau shares.”
Woodchopping involves axemen and women competing in high-intensity speed races to saw or chop through a block of wood.
“It’s basically replicating old bush techniques,” says Hayden.
“It’s explosive and demanding on the body. You are only there for 20 to 30 seconds, but it’s a sprint from zero to 110 percent.”
For the Rasmussens, it all started with Ruby’s grandad Graham. Now 76, he has been chopping for 50 years and still takes to the ring to compete.
“He’s got a real passion and loves going to all the shows, especially seeing his grandkids compete,” says Hayden, who at 14 was the youngest member of the New Zealand Axemen’s Team.
“It’s not about me any more. Now it’s about these kids and getting them humming.”
On the competition circuit
At the recent 2026 Ford Ranger NZ Rural Games, Hayden, Ruby and her aunty Alma Wallace all took to the ring. For Ruby, it was amazing to compete alongside Alma – a former world champion – and even better to beat her, taking out second place in two of the events.
“It’s pretty cool having someone to look up to,” smiles Ruby, who hopes to one day make the NZ women’s team and compete internationally.
For Hayden, the Rural Games didn’t return the result he was hoping for this year, after a particularly hard block of wood saw him in last place from early on. But he’s not fazed.
“That’s one thing woodchopping has taught me – how to lose graciously,” he says.
“It also teaches you resilience. I’ve come out of New Zealand trials covered in blisters and bleeding hands because the wood is so hard, and you have to gut things out. Life isn’t always easy and if you want something bad enough, you have to really work for it.”
It’s a powerful life lesson for Ruby too.
“It’s taught me about resilience and sticking at it – you only get good if you keep on doing it,” she says.
Pride in every swing
Behind the scenes, the family’s commitment is huge. Ruby’s mum Katie is secretary of the Ōtaki Axemen’s Club, grandad Graham is the president, and Hayden volunteers many hours felling and preparing trees so the club has blocks to train on each week. Then from October to March each year, they attend around 20 competitions, often waking at 5am at weekends to travel to the next event.
Says Ruby, “Woodchopping isn’t just a sport to me. It’s family and something I’m really proud to be part of.”
‘It was surreal’
There was a brief moment of disbelief at the Rural Games for competitive tree climber Steph Dryfhout when she heard her name called out for the second year running as the RX Plastics New Zealand Rural Sportswoman of the Year.
“It was pretty surreal,” admits Steph, 30.
“I knew I’d had a pretty good year, but the others [finalists harness racing trainer Michelle Wallis, 58, and shearer Laura Bradley, 28] had done exceptionally well also.”
Steph’s accolades have included winning a second women’s tree climbing world championship title and a string of international successes that have cemented her as one of the sport’s best.
“I am most proud of defending the world title on home soil,” she enthuses.
Now she’s embracing the expectation that comes with it.
“I guess it’s given me confidence, but at the same time, added a bit more pressure to back it up,” says Steph, who dreams of a third world champs win in the US this October.
“It would be epic to get a three-peat, but it’s all down to what happens on the day.”
