There's possum skinning, whip cracking and even New Zealand's very own presidential race. Every two years the Whangamomona Republic Day draws thousands of people down Taranaki's Forgotten World Highway. Taryn Utiger reports.

Catching more than a hundred kilograms of live eels is all in a night's work for a team of Taranaki lads.

"It's easy," 10-year-old Liam Hutchinson says.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ Liam Hutchinson tries to catch one of his slippery eels before it escapes onto the Forgotten World Highway.

"You just make sure you put the traps in where two waters meet."

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Liam, his brother Zack, 8, and his friend Sam Watson, spent a night catching eels for a feature of the biannual Whangamomona Republic Day.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ When the eels launched their escape plan there were some squeals. It could have been the kids. It also could have been the Chiefs rugby players.

Helped by dad their dad Clint the brothers and their friend used seven traps to catch their eels and then filled a large trough with all of the slippery long fish.

Then, for a gold coin donation, the thousands of people at the republic day could guess how many eels were in the giant bath.

"The biggest eels in there are probably three to four kilos," Clint said.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ The sheep shearing display created quite a buzz.

"They'd be more than 100 kilos of eels in there."

Hundreds lined up to guess how many eels would be released back into the creek at the end of the day.

Among the crowds was the Chiefs rugby team.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ Chiefs rugby player Atu Moli was pro at handling a farm whip.

A few of the boys got their hands in the eel trough, while a couple tried out the farm whip.

Chiefs prop Atu Moli was one of the best whippers of the day and managed to crack up a continual storm of whipping noise, much to the delight of his fans.

Whangamomona lad Reuben Pease also appeared to be somewhat of a master whipper.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ Reuben Pease, 13, was fierce with a whip in his hand.

The 13-year-old said the key to getting a good crack from the whip all came down to how you held yourself.

"It's all in the wrist," he said.

"There's not much to it, but if you don't have your wrist right, then you won't get that good crack at the end."

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ It's not a Whangamomona Republic Day without a pie eating competition. Kate Thomson, left, shows Rhiannon Whelan how it's done.

Whipping wasn't Reuben's only skill, the keen rugby player also came in 4th in the gruelling Gutbuster race.

Taking out first spot was 15-year-old Luke Hill from Pukearuhe.

The lighting quick cross country runner finished the farmland run miles ahead of anyone else and was barely puffed afterwards.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ About 20 people live in Whangamomona itself, and about 150 in the surroundings.

"I've been doing a lot of practice, running up heaps of hills, " he said.

Second across the finish line was Luke's younger brother Joe.

"I'll try and catch him next time," the 13-year-old said, smiling.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ The usually quiet Whangamomona becomes a buzzing hub on Republic Day.

The full day celebration saw thousands of people brave the Forgotten World Highway to find Whangamomona, which became a republic in 1989.

As well as sheep shearing, possum skinning, pie eating and beer sculling, the celebration also featured the hotly contested race to be The President of the Republic of Whangamomona.

Former longtime leader Murt Kennard died in 2015 after a decade in the role, and hotel publican Vicki Pratt had been looking after the reins since.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ Whangamomona was established in 1895 and declared themselves a republic on November 1, 1989.

On Saturday she was up against an ever changing list of presidential candidates, including "Grandad John" Herlihy, Chiefs' coach Dave Rennie and even the elusive pub cat Ted.

While some candidates were out shaking hands and kissing babies, Ted was noticeably absent from the cat-paign trail.

"You won't find Ted," one of the bar ladies said.

SIMON O'CONNOR/Fairfax NZ Between cracking whips and searching for the biggest eels, The Chiefs players got busy signing autographs.

"He's gone awol. There's too many people here for him."

Luckily for Ted he didn't have to deliver the presidential speech. Grandad John Herlihy took out that title.

Herlihy was put forward on the day by his grandchildren and after his win the little town was abuzz with how much of a good leader he'd be.

They were also pretty chuffed with their new first lady, Pat.

Rhiannon Eriwata, 8, and her sister Aysha, 7, said the mayoralty race was their favourite part of the day.

Their least favourite was the 90-odd minute drive to Whangamomona from Lepperton.

"It was really, really windy, but I only felt a bit sick," Rhiannon said.

"Then when we got here I got to watch the whip cracking. That was cool."

Rhiannon's dad Nathan Eriwata grew up in Whangamomona, but hadn't stepped foot in the republic for about 17 years.

"As I was driving out here it felt like I was coming home. It hasn't changed much," he said, laughing.

"The pub's had a paint job. It looks good."

Eriwata remembers living in Whangamomona in 1989 when the town declared independence and became a republic.

"My parents were founding members of the republic," he said.

"And I've still got photos of me doing border patrol. It's such a buzz to be back here.

"I do miss the lifestyle out here. I miss working the land. I miss the peacefulness."

His wife Jodie was enjoying her first trip out to her husband's old home.

"I've heard so much about it and it's pretty much exactly as I expected it to be," she said.

"He's finally managed to get me out here, and what can I say, I really like it."