Sport

Narrandera reinsman Blake Jones has been a dominant force in the Riverina for quite some time and in the final race at Wagga last week the talented horseman achieved a significant goal in his driving career. Jones brought up his 1000th winner aboard the Bernie Kelly-trained Waratah Lou.

Planned sporting facility upgrades at the Bill Woodfull Recreation Reserve in Maldon are one step closer following a recent meeting of Mount Alexander Shire Councillors. On Tuesday 16 May, Councillors unanimously voted to award a contract for the construction of a new all gender pavilion at the reserve to local builder BLR Provincial Pty Ltd.

Fin Hansen. Austin McDonald has already built consistent form just a few months into his powerboating career. The 26-year-old adrenaline junkie, who lives in Wallaroo, has joined the Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix circuit for 2023.

Tractors with GPS guidance are now used to run straight furrows in paddocks but in the past, great horses were guided by men with kind and gentle hands to create beautiful plots. This farming heritage is remembered and kept alive every year by ploughing events across the country but the most prestigious of them all is the Golden Plough Championship in NSW, which has been fiercely contested every year since it was first held in 1976.

Continuing her good form, Sarah Jarvis recently wrapped up her metropolitan solo campaign at the 2023 Calisthenics State Championships at The Besen Centre in Burwood. This was her fifth and final competition in the 17 Years Open Reserve Division, against dancers from all around Victoria.

Denmark aims to gain international tourism exposure by luring the Danish women’s soccer team to the town before the FIFA Women’s World Cup in July and August. The FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand with two of three group stage matches in Perth/Boorloo.

Caddens artist Shannon Boyd has completed a striking mural of former Narrandera boxer Trevor Christian OAM for the Sydney Region Aboriginal Corp (SRAC). Trevor Christian OAM, Wiradjuri Warrior/Elder, was a Narrandera-born man who passed away December 13, 2011.

Wyreema State School students last Wednesday had a treat as former Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Maroons rugby league player Andrew McCullough visited the school. Andrew, who retired only last year after a 309 game career, ran a league skill session with a selection of students.

The Raiders had their fifth tough match in a row facing Woorinen on Saturday. It was a big ask for the Raiders to chalk their first win of the season against the Tigers on their home turf, and they now head to a bye for the next round.

A field of eight talented bitches headed to the boxes for one of the feature events on the program, the Cosmic Bonus @ Stud Mother’s Day Pendant, during the Grafton Greyhound Racing Club’s May 14 race meeting. First run in 2022, the event is open to female trainers and their 4th and 5th grade greyhounds and recognises the incredible contributions they make each year within the greyhound racing industry.

A fishing season for a high value sea cucumber in the Torres Strait has reopened for the first time in 20 years thanks to a concerted conservation and stock restoration effort ... Torres Strait Islanders will have exclusive access rights to black teatfish, which is estimated to be worth $380,000 to the local economy.

With the world-famous Tom Quilty Ride only weeks away, the Stirling Endurance Classic in Queensland attracted 178 riders across 10 sections. Stirling’s Crossing Equestrian Complex opened its gates in early 2016 as Australia’s only privately owned, purpose-built endurance facility.

Last Saturday, the Maldon Petanque Club held its annual major event, the Forster Cup, for the second time ... The Forster Cup honours the sustained efforts of George and Janet Forster, foundation members of the cub who remain actively involved.

Narrandera's first ‘Brawl on the Bidgee’ fight night at the Pioneer Hall recently was a huge success ... One of the major highlights of the night was the fight for the Riverina Regional middleweight title which was won by Griffith City Boxing’s Todd Granger against Newcastle’s Kyle Cook.

Barry Crouch of Kaniva, representing Kaniva Rifle Club, recently won the state champions in target rifle in Bendigo. Barry has had a long family connection and love for rifle shooting, with both his father and uncle being keen rifle shooters and his sister won the champion of champions in Bendigo as a junior in 1977 and 1978.

On Monday Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist Taylor McKeown told her story to students at Allora P-10 State School. No holds barred Taylor relived the good and bad memories of her determined effort to swim at the Olympics.

Olympic and World Champions descended on Doha last Friday for the Opening of the 2023 Wanda Diamond League Season. This is the start of the international Athletics Season which brings together the world’s biggest names in track and field, including eight Australians led by a distance duo and a discus giant in the form of Allora’s Matthew Denny.

From May 17th to the 21st, the world’s top riders will converge in Cairns, Australia, for five days of action-packed racing, fierce competition, and a whole lot of “shoeys” in the tropical rainforest. You can catch it all live on  Red Bull TV.

Quill. They say that a change is as good as a holiday, and it certainly was refreshing to visit Warracknabeal Turf Club for the race meeting initially scheduled for Donald on Saturday. It was my first visit to this track and I was impressed by the warm welcome and hospitality, as well as the relaxed atmosphere at the slightly smaller facility. Though smaller in size than neighbouring Donald, the track was in exceptional condition, rated a good 4, and was a credit to track manager, Jake Jesse.

Earlier this week during his Run for the Voice ultra marathoner Pat Farmer ran to Yanchep National Park from Optus Stadium before heading north the next day. It was dark when Mr Farmer arrived at the Yanchep Inn on Wednesday, May 3 but a small group of people were there to greet him including Noongar cultural guide and didgeridoo player Derek Nannup.

Over 220 kilograms of  Margaret River Produce  has been enjoyed by the world’s best surfers and the World Surf League crew during the opening days of the Western Australia Margaret River Pro. Margaret River Produce, the newly formed brand of the Margaret River Producers Association, manned a tasting station that featured over 25 producers and local farmers, all from within a 50-kilometre radius of the competition site, Surfers Point.