1970
Kyabram school teacher recruit Mick Ashford showed supporters why he would be a key player in the Bombers’ climb up the Goulburn Valley League ladder — during a scratch match.
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A 60 yard left footed goal on the run had supporters rubbing their hands together.
Ashford played in the game alongside other recruits Bernie Sleeth (Shepparton United), Greg Caldwell (Mooroopna), Geoff Sharpe and Paddy Meehan.
Caldwell and Ashford were outstanding in the game, with “Algy” Tonkin also a star, along with Joe White, Wally Laidlaw, Chris Salter, Mac Harkness, Harry Glover, Chris Hunter and Ron Murley.
1980
Lancaster all-rounder Vin Sleeth won the Security Permanent Kyabram District Cricket Association A grade Cricketer of the Year award for the second successive year in 1969-70.
Sleeth continued his reign as the competition’s best player on the back of several match winning bowling efforts and his hard hitting batting exploits.
Cooma’s Peter Watson was the top runscorer in the A grade competition, while the leading wicket taker title was shared between Tatura’s Bob Wildes and Lancaster captain John Lilford.
Fire Brigade’s Dave Whitehead was the top runscorer in the A Reserve competition, while Lancaster’s Gavin Napier won the junior title and Fred Andrews took the most wickets in the junior competition.
1990
Kyabram High School was represented at the inaugural Victorian Schools Triathlon Championship in Melbourne by three students — 17-year-old Karja Friesen, Daniel Mackrell, 18, and 17-year-old Dallas Warren.
They took about 50 minutes to complete the three legs of the event, staged near Government House in Melbourne. The event had been organising by some of Australia’s leading triathletes in preparation for the 1991 World championships.
Katja completed the 300 metre swim leg, Daniel was the 5km runner and Dallas rode the 13km course in the event.
• Stanhope won all four rinks to beat Shepparton Golf in the Goulburn Valley Division one bowls competition and storm to its 15th premiership, winning 121-76.
Formed in 1956, the club won its first GVBA pennant in 1958 and had rarely missed the finals since. The 1990 victory came on the back of Noel Adams, Rollo Severin, Barry Linford and Norm Hadfield scoring a big win.
Aub Downing and Merv Emmett were the only two bowlers from the original 1958 team and both had amazingly been members of all 15 premiership wins.
Dennis George led his team of Jim Anderson, Ron Luker and Graeme Pettifer to victory, while John Patterson, Cyril Evans, Jack Stokes and John Stokes continued the domination.
Stanhope’s youngest skipper, Shane Walsh, combined with Downing, Emmett and Rob Armstrong to win their rink.
Stanhope also won the Division five title, led to the win by Herb Keck, Kevin Bazeley, Bruce Spencer and Laurie Crole. They were supported by Tom Burgess, Jim Coote, Phil Trist and Bill Hageman. Other members of the victory were Alf Vaughan, Barney Maidment, Gil Lovell and Jim Burrows.
Merrigum won the Division two title, beating hot favourite Kyabram by 40 shots in the grand final at Shepparton.
Ian Reid, Grant Harper, Stens Vagg and Max Cail were too good for Kyabram’s Matt Connally, Les Dillon, Joe Waite and Jeff Hauser.
Merrigum’s Geoff Mulcahy, Stan Coldwell, Albert Revell and Graham Robinson beat John McCormick’s team of John Shaw, John Hatzie and Beryt Bates.
In the other game, Merrigum’s Peter Warburton, Joe Chant, Peter Fry and Rob Dennis had a close encounter with Chris Preddy, Ken Stewart, Ray Harrison and Ern Pearce.
Other members of the winning Merrigum team were Cyril Napier, Terry Sweeney, Norm Grills and John Boatwood. They beat Alan Hunt’s team of Reg Dodd, John Wells and Brian Pollard.
2000
Jessica Scapin was taking the golf world by storm, the 10-year-old St Augustine’s student a member of the Goulburn Valley Division three squad which won the Kay Mahlook Shield.
She started playing at age eight and was the youngest of the six GV golfers chosen for the team. There was a healthy competition between her and brother Jamie, who was battling it out with his sister for the Parkland Junior Champion Golfer of the Year.
2010
Four Kyabram junior footballers were selected in the 2010 Murray Bushrangers squad for the TAC Under 18 competition.
Corey Atkinson-Harlen followed up his selection in the Australian Indigenous team which toured South Africa with selection in the Bushrangers Under 16 squad.
Patrick Weardon was recognised with inclusion in the Under 18 Bushrangers squad, coming off a season when he was a key player with the Kyabram Under 18 premiership team.
Jake Reeves was also selected in the squad, having already played senior football as a 16-year-old for Kyabram.
Liam Ogden was added to the 2009 Bushrangers squad after his early form and played three games — earning a place in the squad in 2010.
• Lancaster’s Wade family was ready to celebrate the club centenary, Elden and his sons, Phillip, Ross and Grant, along with grandson Leigh had played a combined tally of more than 1000 games for the club.
Elden’s daughter Karen was also a foundation player for Lancaster’s netball team. Elden was born in Lancaster, lived across the road from the football ground and started playing for the club in 1948.
• A 35-year-old Leigh Hall played his 250th senior game in the Kyabram District Football League, having spent 13 years at Merrigum before joining Stanhope as an assistant coach.
He coached a pair of Merrigum Under 18 premierships, was awarded an AFL Youth Coach of the Year award as a result, coached the league team and was nominated for other awards.
He coached Merrigum seniors in 2005 and in 2006 crossed to Stanhope, a member of the 2007 and 2008 premiership teams.
• Kyabram Bowls Club’s Division one side claimed the GVBA 2010 title and Stanhope won the Division five title.
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor