Sport

Some of Sunraysia’s most successful motorsport exports will take centre stage for the official launch of the Mildura Regional Motorsport Strategy this month ... featuring a panel of home-grown motorsport champions including, world ski race champion Chelsea Blight, V8 Supercars champion Rick Kelly, multiple Australian Top Fuel drag racing champion Phil Lamattina...

The Ovens River Challenge at Myrtleford Victoria is again on for young and old ... Widely renowned wildlife artist and fly fisher, Trevor Hawkins, will be present to show some of his fantastic works of fish and bird art ... we are researching the abundance of the endangered Macquarie Perch and Trout Cod.

More $10,000 tagged barra have been changed to be worth a million dollars each, taking the grand total of Barramundi worth a million dollars to more than 80. There are still $10k fish waiting to be reeled in, but from today the chances of hooking a red tagged barra worth a million dollars are through the roof.

The Clydesdale and Heavy Horse Show held at Werribee Park each year is an absolute spectacle. People have a deep love for the past and the great horse that made Australia, so to see them on display as they parade on the green grass is something really special.

Over the long weekend, the Donald Lawn Tennis Club held its 70th Labour Day Tournament in some of the hottest weather conditions the tournament has experienced for many years. In what was a cool summer in the Mallee, heat wave was timed to perfection for the three-day weekend! Thankfully the pool was open at the end of day’s play for everyone to cool off.

Victorian Renee Henry and Kollage MI have taken out the Snake Valley Dash Endurance ride’s perpetual line honours trophy ... There were 80 horse and rider combinations competing across four distance levels - 20km, 40km and 80km distances as well as a 5km course to accommodate younger riders and newcomers to the sport.

After the MaldON WalkON booklet was launched mid last year, all printed copies ran out the door. Friends of Maldon Historic Reserve Group Spokesperson Lee Mead said, “Due to the booklet’s popularity and value to Maldon, we have been successful in gaining a community grant from Mount Alexander Shire Council to reprint lots more copies.”

Last Friday was International Women’s Day and the spirit of the event carried over to the Towong race meeting the next day when two female jockeys and a trainer made their mark while two sisters and their cousin celebrated a home-town victory in the Cup. After finishing second last year, classy seven-year-old mare Euphemia made amends with a 3 1/2 length victory in a course record ...

If I asked you to play pickleball, what picture would you have? ... Being pickled and chasing a yellow fluffy ball—no, that sounds like tennis! ... The game is a racket or paddle sport in which two players or four players hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball with paddles over a 34-inch-high net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction.  

393 fish were caught during the Moulamein Football Netball Club’s annual fishing competition. ... This year's event saw entrants become citizen scientists, forming a partnership with Dr Nathan Miles from NSW Fisheries at Narrandera to record vital fish data to monitor fish numbers between the Balpool Bridge and 19-mile reserve on the Edward River at Moulamein.

Step back in time to a world of yesteryear when draught horses ploughed the fields and pulled the wagons. This weekend the Allora Showgrounds comes alive with the third annual Darling Downs Heavy Horse Festival – a celebration of our agricultural history and the pioneers who built this great nation.

Kimberly Grabham. Locally grown MMA champion, Danielle ‘Drop Bear’ Curtis, daughter of Linda Wright and Les Curtis, has done it again! The fierce, independent Drop Bear fought in the Co Main Event of Pallas Athena Women's Fighting Championship INC in Canada.

Of all the things that challenges a leader’s energy and stress levels is the need to constantly coach the right mindsets and behaviours into others. Doing this effectively requires a patient, deliberate and an ongoing approach, rather than angry outbursts. It is important for a leader to start any behavioural coaching conversation by assuming best intentions, whether this is the case or not. A coaching conversation that begins with both parties being emotionally charged or angry never leads anywhere constructive.

Karen Jones. Local speedway racer Jamie Jones showcased his skills against eight other Top Stars Junior Sedans in the Centralian title at Arunga Park Speedway last weekend, delivering a commendable performance. Joining him from Tennant Creek in the Street Stocks was Jayden Giezedanner who also made his mark in the competition.

“Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds.” According to Wikipedia, the original saying was spoken about 2500 years ago by the Greek historian Herodotus but it could have been applied to the hardy showies who competed on the second day of the Victorian Agricultural Shows Annual Championships at Bendigo.

Carriage drivers from all around Australia, plus volunteers and visitors from as far away as Canada, made the Level 2 “Battle of the Borders” CDE at Carbery Estate, Mullengandra NSW, an outstanding event.

Pickleball: it’s one of the fastest growing sports in Australia and it’s now coming to Clifton. The best way to describe this new sport is to say it’s similar in some ways to tennis but played on a smaller court using a paddle instead of a racquet and using a ball that is more user friendly than a difficult, bouncing tennis ball.

A leisurely fishing trip with some mates from Jeremal Bridge to Tintaldra on Saturday became very memorable when Josh Boers landed this 93cm Murray cod, much to the envy of his fellow anglers.

The Towong Turf Club is expecting a record crowd and full fields for its Cup meeting on Saturday after receiving 268 nominations for the seven-race card. The 2023 $30,000 Costello Rural-Life Plan Strategic Solutions Towong Cup is shaping up to be a hotly contested event with 2022 Mischinka aiming for a second victory.

Former Allora local and Australian champion netballer, Laura Geitz, is partnering with Rural Aid in the lead up to Mates Day on March 20 to urge Aussies to think about the farmers behind the food we eat under this year’s campaign theme ‘Every plate tells a story’.

Perth born Kirby Bentley, former player for the Fremantle and Carlton clubs in the AFL women’s comp, visited Wilcannia Central School on Thursday 22nd Feb., to socialise and throw a few balls with the students from both schools. Sponsored by Lifeline through a Regional NSW grant, Kirby’s aim was to promote "How’s Ya Mate?", mental first aid for kids.