Mum and daughter share a passion
Nat and Emily Paterson aren’t your typical mum and daughter sporting duo.
They don’t pair up at the defensive end on the netball court, or play on the same touch team, or hit tennis balls side by side on the court, instead they team up in a sport a little bit more dangerous and exhilarating for them and one more common for males to compete in – woodchopping. It’s something the pair wouldn’t change. “I love the physical and mental strength it takes to put everything together. I enjoy the challenge and work that goes into improving,” Nat said.
“I love it because I don’t think I have got to my peak performances yet and am still learning the art.”
She is “super-proud” of her daughter Emily choosing to give the sport a nudge.
“It’s really cool. The first big show we did was the Christchurch show in November. We did Jill-and-Jill up there and managed a couple of seconds and a third in the championship,” Nat said.
The Jill-and-Jill competition sees the pair on either end of a large saw, pushing and pulling until a log is cut through.
“It was our first time competing together as well,” she said.
“I was really impressed she didn’t get overawed by it, because I certainly did when I first started out.
“It’s cool. Most weekends we have an event. It’s fun doing it together.”
This is Emily’s first season of competing and she’s impressed many people.
“I started competing in October. Competing is good I find if I don’t think about it I go a bit better,” Emily said.
At home in Wyndham, they have all the gear required to put in plenty of training so they stay sharp when competitions arrive.
“I love it. It’s just good fun and it puts you in a good space. There’s good people that do it as well,” she said.
Emily, who turned 14 last week, said people had been very encouraging about her efforts so far. “They tell me I am going to be better than Mum, which is nice.”
At some stage they will compete against each other on a regular basis, but for now they’ve been teaming together in the Jilland-Jill competition, with their first competition together being back in November, which was a successful one.
“I think it’s been cool for Emily because when I started chopping I had never seen it before, while she knew everyone,” Nat said.
“I had grown up around it going to all Mum’s events and watching her compete, so I just decided to give it a go,” Emily said.
Nat’s foray into wood sports came about after she was unable to play rugby any more.
The duo are incredibly thankful to axeman Stephen Unahi, who helps train them twice a week.
“Pud comes out and trains us on Tuesday and Thursday nights and when he can’t we just do our own training here at home,” Emily said.
“He’s been really good for Emily because it doesn’t put too much strain on our relationship,” Nat said.
Over the Christmas period, Emily had a few victories over mum in the Jack-andJill competition, where a male and female pair up on either side of the large saw, but it’s still advantage Mum when it comes to chopping.
“It’s been pretty good. I am pretty happy with how I have gone. Over the Christmas circuit I was just chopping to get experience in front of crowds rather than compete for placings.”
Emily hopes to one day represent New Zealand in the sport.
Nat said it would be an awesome honour if they made the New Zealand team together. “I would love that.”
Emily doesn’t have a lot of competition left, while Nat has the Rural Games in Palmerston North coming up.