It’s a real family affair in timber sports

When Wayne Corbin competes in Brisbane in August, he will be the third in his family to represent New Zealand in timber sports.

It will be a proud occasion for the Corbins, of Riverton.

Wayne’s wife, Karen, was in the national women’s team for two years, 2013-14, and son, Nic, now living in Christchurch, is in the New Zealand under-21 team for the third year.

All three have won provincial titles and racked up placings at South Island and Australian events.

‘‘It’s a sport we can do together,’’ Karen says.

Jack and jill, which is a team’s sawing competition for men and women, enables the Corbins to combine their talents, whether it is Karen and Wayne teaming up, Karen and Nic or Wayne and Nic.

‘‘There’s nothing better than competing with your family, it’s really cool,’’ Karen says.

She and Wayne are the only husband and wife team to compete regularly in jack and jill events on the South Island circuit.

Some of Wayne and Karen’s spare time away from competitions is taken up with administrative roles in timber sports (wood chopping and sawing).

Karen holds many office bearing roles, including being on the executive of the New Zealand Axemen’s Association and secretary for the Southern (South Island) Axemen’s Association.

As secretary of the NZ under21s, Karen arranges funding for gear and to cover costs of sending the team to competitions.

‘‘I apply to different charity organisations for funding,’’ she says.

The Corbins have helped to arrange for a group of New South Wales axemen to compete at the 150th Southland A&P Show in Invercargill on March 3.

During their stay in Southland, the Australians will also take on Southland axemen in competitions at the Northern Tavern car park in Invercargill and at Colac Bay.

Wayne is president of the Southland Otago Axemen’s Association and Riverton Axemen’s Club.

He is one of three Southlanders in the New Zealand veteran’s team heading to Brisbane for a threetest series against Australia, others being Nelson List, of Wallacetown, and Brian Gutsell, of Gore.

Nic Corbin will cross the Tasman in September when he and Ben Egerton, of Tuatapere, join others in the NZ under-21 team to take on Australia in a series in Adelaide.

Wayne’s father, Bernie, was a wood chopper in the 1960s-70s and Wayne dabbled in the sport as a young man.

‘‘When dad passed away his gear was there, so I thought I’d use it.’’

Wayne got serious with timber sports in 1997-98 and two years later Karen joined in doing sawing events only. She has been wood chopping as well, for the past eight years.

‘‘When you’re chopping and get into the flow, it’s a really good feeling,’’ says Karen, a teacher at James Hargest junior campus.

‘‘As well as being strong, you have to be accurate and fast for wood chopping.’’

Wayne agreed and added having fitness and co-ordination also helped.

During the years Wayne’s most successful event has been doublehanded sawing.

Three hundred men, 30 women and 30 under-21s are registered with the New Zealand Axemen’s Association.

Southland has 32 registered competitors, including two under21s.

‘‘We’ve had 70-year-olds chopping, they just love the sport,’’ Karen says.

In the past two seasons eight people have become members in Southland, with most of them being ex-rugby players.

Wayne is a Riverton fisherman but between 2010 to 2016 he drove research boats overseas for Geokinetics.

The Texas-based company records seismic data for the oil and gas industries.

Boats, driven by Wayne, did tests in Egypt, Bangladesh and Cameroon. ‘‘They’re looking for oil and gas. ‘‘We’d go away for six weeks at a time and be home for two weeks,’’ Wayne says.

Six Southlanders worked for Geokinetics during Wayne’s time with the company.

‘‘They [Geokinetics] liked New Zealanders because we were practical, we could run the boat and do any maintenance.’’