Former World Bowls representative Ken Walker (Fairfield) will start as favourite to win the annual Taieri 6000 fours tournament this weekend.
The annual competition was first held in 1998, when it was won by former World Bowls representative Kevin Darling.
Walker has already won the tournament and will be keen for a repeat this year.
He won the New Zealand singles title in 1987 and the fours in 1983.
Walker has been one of the most successful members of the New Zealand Professional Bowls Association and has had two trips to finals events in the United Kingdom in the past 12 months.
His main opposition is expected to come from former Dunedin bowler Kevin Gore (Christchurch), who has been prominent in national events over the past decade.
Other leading contenders are Harry Crosswell (Gore), Tom Malcolm (Wanaka), Peter Wilson (Kaikorai) and last year's winner, Alistair Keith (Taieri).
Keith's composite four was a convincing winner last year.
With Robert Gibson, Brent Webster and Tim Woods, he comfortably beat the defending champions, Peter McGregor, Kris Newall, Vern Gray and Walker, 10-4 in the final.
A full field of 32 invited teams from Christchurch, Invercargill, North Otago, Central Otago and Dunedin will contest the event, which is sponsored by Redpath and Speight's.
Teams will play seven games in section play to find the finalists for the main event and the plate.
Prize money for the winning team is $2000 and the final will be played on Sunday afternoon.
