Egerton represents New Zealand
Within five minutes of winning, he was on the phone to his parents, Peter and Christine Egerton, telling them the good news.
‘‘It was pretty good winning over there,’’ Ben said.
Competing in front of 300 people, in a small arena, was a new experience for the teenager.
With the Australian trip under his belt, Ben can’t wait for the timber sports season to begin in the November. The Southland circuit in late December and early January is a priority on his competition schedule.
‘‘If you perform well on the circuits, you generally get picked [for major teams],’’ said Ben, whose long range goal is to be selected for the national men’s team.
Being selected for a New Zealand under-21 team was a big thrill for his family.
‘‘The fact that he made the team at 15, is something to be proud of,’’ said his mother, Christine, who has won South Island sawing titles.
Her husband Peter was third in axe throwing at the South Island championships five or six years ago.
‘‘He used to beat me [in axe throwing], but now he can’t,’’ Ben said.
Ben finished third in axe throwing at the champs in Mosgiel last year.
His grandfather Geoff Harvey won a national title in doublehanded sawing in the 1950s. Timber sports stalwart Peter Templeton reckoned Ben’s great grandfather, Jack Pont, won a world wood-chopping title in the 1930s.
Ben showed promise in axe throwing two years ago, Templeton said, a Southland-Otago selector and a life member of the Tuatapere Axemen’s Athletic Society and Southland-Otago Axemen’s Association.
‘‘He’s got a very good future [in timber sports] ... he’s got a ton of energy.’’
Meanwhile, a New South Wales invitation team and an Australian veterans’ team will be competing at the 150th Southland A&P Show in Invercargill in March. They will take on Southland and Otago axemen.
Other competitions between the Australians and the southerners are scheduled for the Northern Tavern car park in Invercargill and at Colac Bay.