Organised by the Ultimate Rally Group, starting and finishing in Rotorua, the Silver Fern Rally (27 Nov – 4 Dec 2026) loops the North Island including an incredible 48 special stages of over a 1000 kms of perfect gravel tracks. Flowing and wildly scenic, they are a huge attraction for international teams who have labelled the Silver Fern ‘rally heaven.’
Welshman Osian Pryce, fresh from capturing his second British Rally title by a scant 1.2 seconds from Max McRae just three weeks ago, and then securing his first European Historic title, is heading south to try and add the Silver Fern Rally to his win tally. Runner up in 2024, New Zealander Robbie Stokes will be aiming to hold him off for his own first home Silver Fern win, so there is a battle in prospect there.
The Silver Fern Rally is firmly embedded in motorsport history. Returning to the North Island, the route follows famous World Championship tracks from the 70s when the likes of World Rally Champions Ari Vatanen and Walter Rohrl stalked the stages, including the infamous Motu Road Special Stage which is tantalisingly back on the competition menu for 2026!
It was on this tortuous ever-changing road, that a young Colin McRae took 30 seconds out of a world class field in his first full WRC season and went on to win WRC Rally New Zealand 1993, his first ever WRC win. Teams were left open mouthed at his performance, whilst the 2026 entrants who take on the Motu challenge could equally be left gasping at the terrain. Doubtless, Osian Pryce will have the name McRae on his mind in Motu, especially after he narrowly beat Colin’s nephew and upcoming star Max McRae to the British title in the Welsh forests just three weeks ago.
For many amateur competitors, the Silver Fern Rally is a pilgrimage. Whether it is for the first visit or a ‘must return’ trip like for former F1 man Tony Jardine who will be driving in his third Silver Fern Rally trying to better the 2nd in class (2024) and 10th overall (2022) in the Commodore Hotel Toyota Corolla run by Magnum Motorsport with MRF Tyres.
Unlike his Gold Star navigator Emily Anderson, who will be on her first rally visit, Emily has won numerous rallies navigating in open top Vintage Bentleys and Aston Martins, including a podium on the Flying Scotsman and a Gold Star on the endurance event LeJog, but this is a different proposition altogether!
“There is quite a difference to being in the freedom of an open cockpit in the wind and rain and cossetted under a roof and roll cage in fireproof overalls,” commented Emily Anderson! “When Tony originally asked me to co-drive for him on the Silver Fern Rally, I was immediately intrigued, even though he asked me just minutes before checking out of a control on the Flying Scotsman Rally! I jumped at the chance, because this is going to be an adventure, but I am feeling as nervous as I am excited, but it will be an awesome event!”
From Rotorua to the East Coast, Hawkes Bay, the Central Plateau and back again, the 1054 kms of Special Stages will run through spectacular North Island scenery, many stages with international rally heritage.
The stars of the sport have been attracted to NZ just as much as the amateurs. Another champion, three-time British Rally Champion Matt Edwards is not driving but navigating Simon Goodwin in a Safari spec Porsche 911. Globe-trotting international co-driver Allan Harryman who is son of the recently passed and much-lamented rally legend Terry Harryman (Ari Vatanen’s co-driver), competes in Dakar, the WRC and now Silver Fern. Allan is in another Porsche 911 with Greek driver George Vasilakis.
Kiwi crew Deane Buist and Tim McIver will be right up there in their Ford Escort, no doubt in battle with one of three Irish crews to make the long trip to New Zealand. Rapid driver Greg McCormack, the brother of four times RAC Historic Rally winner Marty, Fintan McGrady and Dean Beckett in a Ford Escort and Richard Hogg driving one of the most evocative cars in the rally, a 1979 V8 Rover SD1 in works colours, which for rally fans will bring memories of the great Tony Pond. Richard will have Donna Elder as his co-driver, herself a former New Zealand National Historic Rally Co-Driver Champion. The big V8 Rover will be a Kiwi crowd puller.
Twice British + European Historic (Cat 3) Champion Osian Pryce is excited to be competing; “We’ve ticked off the two championships and now it is full focus on the Silver Fern. I want to go out there, relax a bit and enjoy it – I’ve never been to New Zealand so it’s a bit of a bucket list thing, I’m really looking forward to it, but it will be very different so I want to take it all in.
“From the competition side, I don’t really know what it’s going to be like, I know there are a couple of quick crews who will push us along, but it is a long rally. All the rally people seem very positive about us coming down and we are excited about the new experience, but it would be nice to get the two championships and this one done as well!”
Tony Jardine summed up the lure of the Silver Fern Rally and how he and Emily Anderson intend to tackle the event; “It is a ‘must return’ rally, not just because of the incredible stages and scenery, but because we all get a great welcome in New Zealand. It is an adventure experience made even better by the friendly people.
“We intend to get to the finish and play the long game, building as we go, but we couldn’t have a better team. The Christchurch based Magnum Motorsport Team run by top New Zealand Rally driver Jeff Judd will help us achieve our goals through their experience and expertise.”
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