1979
Kyabram javelin thrower Pam Matthews shattered the Australian record and rocketed to fourth place in the world rankings at a Brisbane athletics meeting.
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She threw 65.74 metres to beat the existing national record by more than three metres. It was also almost six metres further than her own personal best.
She had never bettered 60m and the result saw her jump 20 places in the world rankings. The world record at the time belonged to an East German, who had recorded a throw of 69.52m.
Pam’s mother, Marie, said Pam was hoping to improve in the next three meetings of the Alcoa Challenge series, in Sydney and Perth.
• Former Stanhope fullback John Saines was appointed coach of Rushworth for the 1980 season.
The dashing 29-year-old defender had played most of his football for Kyabram, but joined Marong in the Golden City League in 1979.
Saines played 100 senior games for the Bombers and replaced Dennis Peucker as coach of the Tigers.
Like his Kyabram based father, Ern, Saines had the unusual job of a piano tuner.
• Algie Tonkin was the hero of the A-grade squash premiership for Panthers, beating Tigers top seed Des Gorman.
Lindsay Wickham contributed to the win by beating ‘Doc’ Thomson, while Geoff Forbes blasted Alan Hausler off the course and David Gorr sealed the match for Panthers with his win against Paul Urban.
• Peter Warburton was appointed assistant coach of Tongala for 1980, not long after he was the player who destroyed Tongala’s 1979 premiership hopes while playing as a rover with Kyabram.
The appointment ended weeks of speculation about Warburton joining former Kyabram coach Peter Lyon at Tongala; Lyon had been named coach not long before the Warburton decision.
Lyon coached Kyabram to the 1975 title and was leading the recruiting campaign for the Blues.
• Vin Sleeth had retained the pre-Christmas lead in the Kyabram Cricketer of the Year award, 24 points ahead of John Lilford and with Rob Ferguson in third.
Sleeth had failed with the bat in the final round before the break, but picked up five wickets. His nearest rival had completed a fine all-round effort where he picked up four wickets and made 30 runs.
1989
Kyabram’s Matt McMaster-Smith led the Goulburn Murray Cricket Zone to a state final win in the Kleenex Country Cup, its first victory in the competition for 12 years.
McMaster-Smith, a cousin of international cricketer Jim Higgs, was captain of the team and showed great courage after being hit in his right eye while attempting a pull shot.
He was taken to Kyabram Hospital when on 26, but returned to score 77.
Kyabram Fire Brigade Cricket Club hosted the game against Central Highlands at Northern Oval.
• Kyabram High School student Matt Elliott celebrated the end of his HSC examinations with a half-century in only his second district cricket match for Collingwood.
He batted for an amazing four hours against a Waverley-Dandenong attack that included former Test speedster Rodney Hogg.
The 18-year-old made 61, not long after being named in the Victorian Under-19 side for the national titles.
His studies have allowed him to play just three games, but he did score 88 against Richmond to signal a bright future.
• Kyabram Pony Club member Kim Coote was selected in the Northern Zone team to compete for a zone championship on her horse Castaway.
She beat a field of 27 riders, including Kyabram Pony Club teammates Jarrod Beer, Anthony Bentley and Greg Brown to take the title.
Carolyn Tonkin and Souliman qualified for the state titles at the same event, held at Cohuna, with Michael Whitford also involved in the dressage competition.
Michael’s sister, Kim, also competed and was part of the Kyabram team that finished runner-up to the host club in the zone trophy competition.
1999
Kyabram junior tennis stars Steven Bell and Alicia Meyer won the Anne Smerdon Memorial Trophy.
The pair received the awards after the Kyabram Lawn Tennis Club’s junior championships.
Other winners were Gavin Flett, Michael Croxford, Xavier Hilton, Kate Steinfort, Rhianna Hilton, Emma Sweeney and Laura Bell.
• Peter Hageman was on track for an Australian Superkart Championship after finishing third in the event and fifth the year before.
He was aiming for Australian honours after winning the state title in the 125cc class.
The award was his after 11 meetings, a decade into his career in the sport.
2009
Five Kyabram girls collected three medals at the Victorian Little Athletics Relay Championships.
Emily Lawson, Freya Finlay, Carlie Whitford, Nikki Genio and Indre Christy came away with one silver and two bronze from the under-14 events.
They competed in the 4x100m and 4x200m, then also performed as a top three team in the 4x200m.
• Nine Kyabram girls were chosen in the Northern Rivers regional team to contest the state titles.
Eight of the girls were in the under-16 team and one was in the under-14 team.
They were Julia Crockett-Grills, Alexandra Mulcahy, Holly Butler, Tasmine Mueller, Stephanie Coyne, Elley Thomas, Lacey Jones and Ebony McKenzie-Ross.
Another four Kyabram cricketers were also chosen in the Northern Rivers Pathway cricket squad to contest the state boys’ titles.
Matt Ryan, Liam Barrett and Kyle Mueller were all selected in the under-14 squad, while Matt’s older brother Brad was named in the under-16 team.
• Two district bowls clubs held their women’s championships.
Valley View champion for 1999-2000 was Margaret George and the Stanhope championship was won by Margaret Adams.
Margaret George beat Janice Watt 25-22 in their final, the fifth time Janice had finished runner-up.
Margaret Adams beat Margaret Hepples 26-19 to win her third club championship at Stanhope.
It was the first time 83-year-old Hepples had finished runner-up in the event.
• John Shaw claimed the Goulburn Valley 60 and over lawn bowls singles championship as a 71-year-old.
He beat Shepparton and Shepparton East opponents in the Mooroopna semi-final and finals, pitted against former GV Champion of Champions Harry De Klijn in the semi.
Shaw progressed to the group five championship with his win.
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor