The making of the Taupō trophies
The trophies handed out out on the podium at the 2026 ITM Taupō Super 440 were meticulously hand-crafted by local wood experts and master craftspeople Robbie Graham and Mike Cudby.
The material used is tawhairaunui (red beech), sourced from the Kaimanawa Ranges at the southern end of the lake.
Beyond the painstaking and meticulous craftsmanship, there is special meaning and symbolism.
The stylised shark fin represents the cultural symbol of navigational supremacy, excellence, and focus – qualities that teams and drivers aspire to in their pursuit of championship success.
Within the design is a pattern representing the ancestral maunga (mountain) Tauhara. Tauhara forms part of what tangata whenua (people of the land) refer to as Ngā Kahui Maunga – the cloak of mountain ranges that surround our region. At the tip of the shark fin is a guardian figurehead, symbolising the geothermal energy that comes from within the earth and from within the mountains of this rohe (area).
Historically, rivers, lakes, and oceans were ancestral highways, with various styles of waka serving as vessels of travel. Navigational methods were passed down through the wisdom and knowledge of whakapapa (ancestors), and were grounded in awareness of self and an intimate connection with Te Taiao (the natural environment). When our ancestors journeyed from Hawaiki across Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, sharks formed an important part of their navigational systems, providing guidance and assurance of safe passage during long ocean voyages.
Te Taiao translates to “the natural world” – tai referring to a specific region, and ao meaning the world.
