THREE Walcha Central School students Maylon Schmutter-Morris, Tyran Bloomfield and Peter Cass Warneminde-Green were accompanied by deputy principal Ben Ussher when they travelled to the Gold Coast late last week to watch the Indigenous All-Stars play the Maori All-Stars on the Gold Coast. On Friday the crew attended the Preston Campbell Foundation Breakfast where they were reacquainted with the host after meeting him here in Walcha when Preston attended Festival Friday early last December. The boys also bumped into Indigenous rugby league legend Greg Inglis.
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WALCHA Council mower operator Ray 'Choom' Foster found the going a bit sticky while trimming some grass out at the John Oxley Sportsground Polocrosse fields last week to the point where he became bogged. Not long after the problem was enlarged when good samaritan Billy Pearce arrived to rescue his workmate and ended up with the same fate. Shortly after head mechanic Stephen 'Pole' Bath and apprentice John Donnelly threw on their capes before going to the assistance of the boys who were bogged (or were they just parked?) and it wasn't long before the mower and ute were towed to solid ground allowing Ray and Bill to tear back into it.
WALCHA bred roughrider Tyson Smith is off to Canada at the end of May to test his skills on the international stage. Last month Tyson finished second in the Extreme Bulls event at the AELC in Tamworth on his 21st birthday. He has also been offered sponsorship from Just Country so he should be well attired when he travels overseas. Also on the move is his sister Katelyn who is heading interstate to play rugby league with the Brothers club in Toowoomba. Last year Katelyn was selected in the Greater Northern Tigers representative squad and this season has been training with Long Flat.
LAST Thursday 24 Walcha Central School primary students travelled to Armidale to compete in the zone championships where 14 qualified for the PSSA North West trials early next week. Leading the way was Hamish 'Hammer' Warden who qualified in seven events, Cody Wellings in six, and Brock James in five. One of the eye-catching performances of the carnival was delivered by the awesome foursome when Blaine Clooney, Cody Wellings, James Mclaren and Cameron Mooney won their 4 x 50m freestyle junior boys' relay by 28 metres in a time of 2 minutes 56.47 seconds. The senior girls' relay team consisting of Stephanie Blake, Claudia Kirton, Lulu Thomson and Elke Payne won their event and will return to Armidale on Monday as will the senior boys' relay team 'Hammer', Brock, Toby Crawford and Preston Latham. The other two qualifiers are Frankie Nivison and Hannah Swain in 50m freestyle events. Good luck to all competitors.
POOL lifeguard Janie Muller celebrated her 18th birthday with family and friends last Saturday and I sincerely hope she had a memorable day. Next week Janie and her fellow lifeguard Annabelle Laurie are heading off on an overseas adventure which initially takes in Ireland before they explore other parts of the planet. Thanks for your assistance at the pool during the past season girls.
FOR the second week running the gremlins got into the caption of a Sports Shorts photo. When the three Small Schools swimming champions were named as Charlotte Gibson Daniel Bridge and Tilly Casburn in that order from left to right. Unfortunately, Charlotte missed the photoshoot, Tilly is on the left and Mia Ross is the girl on the right- at least Daniel was correct. Sorry about that guys.
CONGRATULATIONS to my longtime NSW Sandgreens 4BBB partner former Walcha Council general manager Jack O'Hara on winning the 2019 Walcha Golf Club Match Play Championship.