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Tea Gardens:
Saturday, 30 October 2010
The Myall Coast Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Inc appreciates our sponsors:


Wood Chopping Competition

Saturday, 30 October 2010

Organisers plan for the 2010 Wood Chopping event to be a huge success again. We have yet to confirm our 2010 sponsors. However, last year was sponsored primarily by the Tea Gardens Country Club and other local businesses dates back to more than 10 years. Part of the Myall River Festival, the Wood Chopping Championships are promoted in conjunction with the Australian Woodchoppers Association.

Here is a run down of the competition prize money:

1st
2nd
3rd
300mm Underhand Handicap
$200
$100
$50
300mm Standing Block Handicap
$200
$100
$50
325mm Underhand Handicap
$200
$100
$50
250mm Standing Block Handicap
$200
$100
$50
325mm Standing Block Handicap
$200
$100
$50
250mm Boys Underhand Handicap
$30
$20
$10
Unplaced competitors to get $50

A competition such as this requires the enormous support from local businesses through sponsorship.  Over $1850 is needed in prize money to attract fellow woodchoppers to challenge Kenny.  Additional funds are required to supply the ribbons and other expenses such as wood blocks.

If you are a local business and are interested to sponsor this important event, please contact the event organiser, Melinda McMahon on 0439 529 045.

Here's abit about our local champ, Kenny Harris

WHEN you think of alternative therapies that assist with rehabilitation the last thing you would think of is woodchopping, but 43-year-old Tea Gardens resident Kenny Harris swears that this sport has played a major part in his road to recovery.

Kenny was involved in a horrific logging accident 17 years ago, which left him with a broken back and damaged shoulder. "I got hit with a limb that fell down on top of me. It broke my back and busted all the nerve centre in my shoulder. "I was left with limited use of my right arm," he said.

However Kenny refused to let his injuries prevent him from doing the things he loved, so when his younger brother Bruce took up woodchopping around five years ago Kenny was instantly engrossed in the sport. "My dad was a woodchopper, so it sort of runs in the family, and when Bruce started cutting I travelled with him to different competitions all over the place.

"I just thought that one day, even if I never get to cut a block in half, I'd love to have a go, because it would have to be better then just sitting here watching, and that's how it all started." Kenny said the physical training has been extremely beneficial.

"Although it was a long, slow process, breaking through pain barriers and all the rest of it, my body has really thanked me for it and I am a lot better person now," he said. "I believe that cutting has helped to stabilise my back and I'm so much stronger now, so its been really good therapy. "All days are bad days, but they are a lot better than what they used to be," he said.

Kenny first moved to Tea Gardens when he was seven years old, and after travelling and working around Australia for about 20 years he moved back to his hometown with his son in 1999.

Although Kenny has only been cutting for around four years, he has already collected an impressive amount of ribbons and trophies for his talent in the sport, although he is quite modest when asked about it. "Yeah I suppose I've got a few ribbons - 70 or 80 or something like that and a few trophies."

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Microsoft Word and PDF Format
The Myall River Festival is an initiative of the
Myall Coast Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Inc
sponsors
Site designed by Melinda McMahon 0439 529 045
The Myall River Festival Logo was designed by "And Creative" Contact: Cathriona 0410 33 26 56 
Many of the photos displayed on this website were taken by Shona Hunter Howarth 0423 806 490