Southland wood choppers primed for Rural Games tilt
Australia-based Southland chopper Bobby Dowling is hoping to cause a few upsets at the Rural Games in Palmerston North.
Dowling, a born-and-bred Southlander now working as a forestry logistics manager in Adelaide, likely faces the toughest competition despite holding multiple world titles already in his favoured single saw discipline.
He’s up against the reigning NZ and Stihl Timbersports World Trophy champion and fellow New Zealand team member Jack Jordan, from Taumarunui.
“Jack will be very tough to beat, so I’m going to have to call on all my 28 years of experience in the sport, and hope my strength in the single saw event is matched by my performance in the competition’s other five disciplines,” Dowling said.
“I’ve been based in Australia for six years now, and although competing in the big competitions like the inter-state Royal Shows has undoubtedly sharpened my skills, coming up against the top tier of Kiwis is just as big an ask.”
Dowling will be lining up alongside nine others – Jordan, Chris Lord, Kyle Lemon, Nathan McDonald, Shane Jordan, Jesse Whitehead, Neil Hateley, Hayden Rassmussen and Laurie Honey.
Other Southland choppers competing are Wyndham’s Nat Paterson and Riverton’s Karen Corbin, who will battle against 10 others for glory.
In the junior section, Invercargill’s Sam Unahi and Otautau’s Jack Richards will be flying the Southland flag.
Stihl Timbersports NZ team manager Anthony Mildren said the Aussie-based invasion was far from a reflection of a lack of home-based talent, and it added to the flavour of the NZ Timbersports scene.
“It’s great for our local sport to have other Kiwis returning with their international experience – and the Australian scene certainly offers that in spades.
“It’s work opportunities or personal circumstances that takes our woodchoppers across the ditch rather than a lack of local competition, and given what they have on offer with woodchopping in Australia, it’s a huge compliment to our NZ-based athletes that they make a point of coming back to compete in Aotearoa. It will be great to see the likes of Bobby in action,” Mildren said.
Action in Palmerston North started featuring women up first yesterday, before the men battle it out today.