Sport

With recent placings in metropolitan feature races under his belt, the stage is set for Belvedere Boys to claim the major prize in the $200,000 Carlton Dry 3.5 per cent Port Macquarie Cup on an outstanding day of racing action at Port on Friday.

A team of 62 heavy horses was harnessed to pull an antique wagon in a record-breaking event at the Barellan Good Old Days Festival at the weekend. It outnumbered the previous Australian record of 50, set in Queensland in the 1980s and a 50-horse hitch in Canada in 1995.

The new season of swimming pool happiness has commenced. The tired old pool has had a remarkable makeover. Greg, the new manager with a history of managing swimming pools, recognised the work required to bring the pool up to standard.

The Cook Government has set new standards to strengthen the health and welfare of horses in Western Australia. The Standards and Guidelines for the Health and Welfare of Horses details the minimum standards and recommended practices to optimise the health and welfare of horses, backed by scientific evidence and industry knowledge.

Kate Fowles. Former Donald resident Johanna Clark’s bucket list is about to become shorter, as she tackles two world title events within three weeks. The Torquay triathlete will compete in the Surf Coast Shire Council-supported UCI Gran Fondo World Cycling Championships in Lorne from October 16 to 19. She will then fly to Spain for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in November.

Regular readers of the Tarrangower Times do not expect reportage about the AFL Grand Final or an international rap star but it turns out that there is an unexpected link. Local resident Helen Butcher has advised that her son managed to contact Snoop Dogg — here to perform at the biggest footy game of the year — and arrange a meeting and recording session on Friday 26 September.

Narrandera's Burnout Master Jake Myers Sicko machine has had great success in the United States of America over the past four months. Narrandera's Burnout Master Jake Myers has finished a very successful four months with a WIN at Ice Cream Cruise USA 2025, an achievement he said he will never forget.

Congratulations to Kendra, Jane and Bapala who took part in the NSWRL Westpac Blues Tag Rep Day in Sydney last weekend. Brooke Mallison from NSWRL made a call out to the Far West and these 3 women responded.

Experienced event rider Delwyn Ogilvy and her current mount, Walter, are proving that in the sport of equestrian, age is just a number. Walter, a Thoroughbred who raced as Bonny Ezra, only came off-the- track about eight months ago after 56 starts and winning more than $500,000 in prize money.

Due to the conditions in Tokyo Matthew Denny threw well below his best. Torrential rain and a wet, slippy throwing circle were not ideal for the discus final held on Sunday night at the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo.

A field of 75 trail runners competed in the second annual Run Upper Murray in the Thowgla Valley on Saturday. It was another unforgettable day of trail running, community celebration and high-country hospitality. With runners taking on either the 33km ‘Ultimate Challenge’ or the 16km ‘Summit Dash’, the event launched from the iconic Thowgla Hall...

After being awarded a 3 year contract by Southern Downs Regional Council to operate the Allora Swimming Pool, PCYC Queensland is ready to take on the management when it reopens on 1 October - just in time for the summer season. This marks a major milestone for PCYC Queensland, one of the state’s largest providers of sport and recreation programs.

Thirty-two nations from across the globe will compete for a world title in the men’s and women’s singles at the 2025 World Bowls Champion of Champions at cluBarham. An estimated 3,000 visitors will be in our twin towns for the prestigious international event, with 27 men and 30 women competing at cluBarham’s state-of-the-art bowling facility.

The Wagga Wagga Tennis International is under way at the Jim Elphick Tennis Centre and is free for spectators to attend. The city is hosting back-to-back Women’s 35 International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Tour tournaments which commenced on Sunday 7 September and will run through to Sunday 21 September 2025.

Chris Lee. Calder United has pulled off a remarkable grand final win in its first season as a combine of the old Nullawil and Wyche-Narraport teams with a 10 point victory over a gallant Birchip-Watchem in what was an enthralling contest, epic in fact, held at Wedderburn’s Donaldson Park.

Fun-runners and athletes alike will be putting their best feet forward when the inaugural Horsham Running Festival gets underway on Sunday 14 September. Top of the bill will be a full marathon – 42.2 kilometres – comprising four laps of a picturesque circuit on the banks of the Wimmera River.

Phillip Island is revving up for an action-packed month of October, packed with marquee events across Bass Coast, including the Rip Curl GromSearch Phillip Island, the Australian SUP Titles, and the headlining MotoGP™ from 17 October to 19 October 2025 at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

Soil compaction is quietly limiting pasture productivity and affecting horse health. Thanks to the work of 2022 Nuffield Scholar Adam Williamson, the thoroughbred industry now has practical, evidence-based strategies to address it.

A fin-tastic new project is set to bring more fish swimming into Sunshine Coast rivers ... Two new fishways will be installed on Petrie Creek, providing vital passage for a variety of native fish.

Megan Greaves. Denmark Cricket Club will return to the Albany and Districts Cricket Association A grade competition in the 2025-2026 season – the first time since its 2019-2020 season ... With strong leadership from captains Campbell Robertson and Damian Schwarzbach, young players combining with senior players offering a mature approach to the game, the club believes it a good time to re-enter the A grade competition.

Gunbower Racing Club is taking a big punt on itself – and the payoff would be huge. But more for Gunbower Lions Club and Echuca Regional Health’s Wellbeing Centre, because there’s $50,000 up for grabs as part of the 2025 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep.

Country race meetings are the heartbeat of regional Australia. Unlike city races where only a small percentage of people attend, country race days see entire towns turn out to support their local event.