Boasting two world-class facilities, as well as some of the best natural ice rinks and traditional skating rinks, the village has more to offer winter sport enthusiasts than most New Zealand cities.
The $1.3 million Maniototo International Curling Rink is the only one of its kind in the country.
It offers curling on quality ice throughout the year, daily from 10am to 5pm, and from 6pm to 9pm by arrangement.
More than 6000 hours of volunteer labour went into making the rink, which features a lounge bar, conference venue, viewing area, kitchen, changing room and general amenities.
Manager Fred Newman said visitor numbers to the curling facility were increasing rapidly since it officially opened in May 2005.
"We had 3000 new curlers, not counting people who had been before, in March and April this year alone. About eight months ago, an economic report on the rink was done which estimated the facility generated about $250,000 a year in additional Naseby business like accommodation and food.
"Since then, business at the rink has increased about 40%," Mr Newman said.
He said there was plenty of room for expansion of the business if funds allowed it.
A complex of hot pools heated by energy released from the rink's refrigeration system was next on the agenda.
"People are always pleasantly surprised at what there is in Naseby. A lot of people can't believe we have these types of facilities here," Mr Newman said.
The driving force behind the rink came from eager curlers throughout the Maniototo, who first dreamed of playing on a purpose-built facility about 50 years ago.
In 2001, the World Curling Federation agreed to provide some funding for a facility and at the end of June that year a public meeting was held in Naseby, at which the Maniototo Curling International (Inc) board was appointed.
Original member and a former secretary and treasurer Kath Thomas said she was interested in the economic benefits such a facility would have for the village and the wider Maniototo area.
She said a huge amount of voluntary work, fund-raising and financial help went into the concept before construction started in May 2004.
"The Maniototo Ice Rink initiated the public meeting and was instrumental in starting the project. We had about $375,000 from the World Curling Federation and about $22,000 was raised through raffles. I'm really pleased about the whole thing.
"It seems the really hard work people put into it is paying off as the facility is working well," she said.
