There are plenty of stories to be told about Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes – and this year, some of our region’s young writers have done exactly that.
The inaugural Checketts McKay Short Story Competition 2026 attracted just under 250 entries, with young writers from schools across Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes putting their creativity to work.
Students were invited to write a short story with a connection to the region. How they interpreted that connection was deliberately left open, giving them the freedom to take their stories in all sorts of directions.
The response exceeded our expectations. From local places and history to mystery, humour and imagination, the entries demonstrated just how many stories our young people have to tell.
Almost 250 stories – judged anonymously
An important part of the competition was giving every story the opportunity to stand on its own.
Entries were judged anonymously, meaning the judges assessed the stories without knowing who had written them. This allowed each entry to be considered on the strength of the writing itself.
We were fortunate to have Rosemary Riddell and Bridget Auchmuty as our judges, with Annie Villiers assisting as Chief Sifter.
Between them, they brought a wealth of experience and a genuine appreciation for storytelling to the task of reading and assessing the entries.
With just under 250 stories spanning three school age groups – Years 5–6, Years 7–8 and Years 9–13 – our judges had a significant task ahead of them. Students interpreted the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes theme in many different ways, and selecting the final place-getters was no easy job.
We are very grateful to Rosemary, Bridget and Annie for the time and care they gave to the judging process.
Celebrating our 2026 school category winners
Following the anonymous judging process, winners were selected across each of the three school categories.
Years 5–6
First Place: Emma Bartlett – Omakau Primary School
Mystery in Omakau
For her winning story, Emma received a $100 Prezzy Card, while Omakau Primary School received $250.
Congratulations, Emma!
Years 7–8
First Place: Rufus Irons – Arrowtown School
The Postmaster
The judges praised Rufus's story as “original and inventive, and beautifully constructed.”
Rufus received a $100 Prezzy Card, while Arrowtown School received $250.
Congratulations, Rufus!
Years 9–13
The Years 9–13 category recognised first, second and third place, and it was a particularly successful competition for Dunstan High School, with its students taking out all three top places.
First Place: Jack Letts – Dunstan High School
After the Thaw
Jack received a $350 Prezzy Card, with a further $250 awarded to Dunstan High School.
Second Place: Oiva Kiuru – Dunstan High School
300 Kilos
Oiva received a $200 Prezzy Card.
Third Place: Archie McNeish – Dunstan High School
The Pie Perpetrator
Archie received a $100 Prezzy Card.
Congratulations to Jack, Oiva and Archie on an outstanding result.
Read the 2026 Checketts McKay Short Story Competition stories → https://cmlaw.co.nz/short-story-competition-2026/
Thank you to our young writers
Most importantly, we'd like to thank every young writer who entered the competition.
Writing a short story takes imagination, persistence and creativity – and sharing something you've created with others takes confidence. Regardless of the final results, we hope every student who submitted a story is proud of what they produced.
We'd also like to thank the teachers, schools and families who encouraged their young writers to get involved and helped make the inaugural school competition possible.
The support from schools across Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes has been fantastic, and to receive just under 250 entries in the competition's first year was a wonderful response.
Stories from our part of the world
Checketts McKay has been part of the Central Otago and Southern Lakes communities for generations.
For us, the Short Story Competition is about more than finding winning stories. It's an opportunity to encourage creativity, celebrate young people and give local voices a platform to tell stories about the places they know.
And judging by this year's entries, there are plenty more stories waiting to be told.
Congratulations again to Emma Bartlett, Rufus Irons, Jack Letts, Oiva Kiuru and Archie McNeish, to all of our Highly Commended and Commended writers, and to every student who entered the inaugural Checketts McKay Short Story Competition.
Explore the 2026 Short Story Competition stories → https://cmlaw.co.nz/short-story-competition-2026/
By Emma O'Reilly, People & Culture Manager, September 2026