The unique Oyster events, part of the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival each year, aIways take place in front of a large audience in the part of the festival site known as Shed 3 and that is where the 2025 titles will be decided this Saturday.

The action begins with the professional oyster openers racing each other with events for Men, Women, Novices, Factory Relay Teams with a Blindfold race a novelty event.

After Keith Lovett had a lengthy tenure before retiring from competition, the Men’s title has been won by various competitors over the last few years. Xavier Fife of Calders Oysters took the Men’s Open last year, opening 50 oysters in a time of 3 minutes 9 seconds. Fife is back to defend the title this year while a two-time champion, Ricci Grant, is confirmed to be in the field as well.

Vic Pearsey had won ten titles in a row in the Women’s Open before standing aside last year when Peg Bishop took over the mantle, getting through 50 oysters in 3 minutes 34 seconds. Bishop is not competing this year so the title race is wide open.

Team Barnes won the Factory Relay race in 2024 but face tough competition this year from a Calders Oysters team of Xavier Fife, Jimmy Ryan-Thomas, Ricci Grant and Clive Westwood – all previous Men’s Champions.

Ricci Grant won the Blindfold race last year opening 20 oysters in exactly 3 minutes while a field of at least three will contest the Novice Race this year.

After the openers have demonstrated their skills volunteers from the crowd are invited on stage to participate in the Oyster Eating races to find the fastest competitor to down a plate of a dozen of Bluff’s finest. It is always a truly international event with competitors coming from far and wide, last year’s winner hailing from Auckland with competitors from all parts of the world taking part each year.

The 2025 Festival will be held at the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival site in Lee Street, Bluff and will feature the same successful recipe - plentiful seafood with the star of the show the Bluff Oyster, other food selections, a wide choice of beverages, a full programme of musical entertainment and the unique oyster opening and eating events. The event has been sold out for several weeks.

Gates open at 10.30am on Saturday with most of the activity due to commence at 11am.