It all began with talk at the Araluen Hotel.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After hearing talk from the locals about how good the old Sports Days have been, the owner Norman Van Den Broek asked why the community, didn’t get together and do it again, says Deneice Griggs, an Araluen local.
It just grew from there, and after a twenty year break, the Araluen Sports Day was held again in 2016.
The 2016 event was a resounding success, and this one will be bigger and better, says Mrs Griggs.
There will be something for everyone on the day, with a list of events as long as your arm. From a Ute Show and Shine to a Chocolate Wheel, a Ram Weight Guess and a Rugby Target, visitors will have a chance to enjoy a modern take on a country Sports Day.
It’s the NSW Axemen who are the real draw, says Mrs Griggs, with champion woodcutters Curtis and Simon Bennett attending. The Axemen will be running woodchop events throughout the day, including male, female and Jack and Jill.
In its early days, the Sports Day was focused on equestrian events, but in its latest incarnation, it’s become a family day out.
The committee has made sure to respect the heritage of the event, while bringing it up to speed for the modern family to enjoy, says Event Coordinator Rachel Waddington.
“It really is a bringing together the old and the new, so on our committee we have people of families who’ve lived in the area for four or five generations as well as new people who've moved into the area,” Ms Waddington said.
“We had people come to us and say last year that they remembered coming when they were children, and how good it was to bring their children to something they remembered so fondly.”
Events include:
- NSW Axeman Association Woodchop
- Free Children’s Corner
- Ute show and shine
- Tractor Display
- Chocolate Wheel, Nail Drive
- Hit the wicket
- Guess the weight of the Ram
- Market Stalls
- Araluen Historical Display
- U/12’s Table Tennis Comp Table Tennis Arena
- Cow Pat Discus
- Dog High Jump
- Rugby Hit the Target
- Horizontal Bungee
- Gum Boot Throwing
- Ute Judging Ute Area
- Pie Eating Competition
- Whip Cracking Small
- Adults Table Tennis Comp Table Tennis
- Tug of war Main
- Monster Raffle Drawn
- Iron Man/Woman