All’s set for the last big hurrah of the popular Kyabram Charity Poker Run this Saturday.

A record number of commemorative shirts have been ordered, signifying a huge interest in the event, which began 20 years ago when 12 friends decided to go for a ride.

One of the founding riders, Warren Ratcliffe, said with 280 shirts ordered, double the usual number he ordered, he anticipated a roll-up of at least 45 motorcycles for the event.

Mr Ratcliffe said he’d received inquiries from as far afield as Melbourne from people who wanted to be involved in the last ever event.

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Three out of four ain’t bad. Fire Brigade Cricket Club players celebrate winning three premierships.
Photo by
Kyabram Free Press

Flames triumphant in three out of four

Kyabram Fire Brigade Cricket Club confirmed its Goulburn Murray Cricket Club champion status when it won three of the four premierships on offer at the weekend.

Despite its A-grade side falling at the last hurdle, the club was triumphant in B-grade, C-grade and D-grade.

Fire Brigade president Justin Hooper said his club’s loss in A-grade was “extremely hard to swallow”, but winning three out of four premierships was a ‘‘great year’’ for the club.

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Callan Gleeson on Stumpy in the open bull ride.
Photo by
Kyabram Free Press

Crowd at Kyabram Rodeo

A bumper crowd enjoyed the spectacle of wild riding and high-flying action on Friday night at another successful staging of Kyabram’s famous rodeo.

The 71st annual rodeo attracted a crowd of almost 4000 to Kyabram Showgrounds, with plenty in attendance donning their best boots and hats for the occasion.

Kyabram Agricultural, Horticultural and Pastoral Society secretary Janelle McDonald said the event was another hit for the town, with the quality of bull riding, roping and saddle work improving every year.

‘‘There was a great crowd of people there on the night and I think it was absolutely brilliant,’’ she said.

1996

Free Press KDCA A grade Cricketer of the Year, Brad Mueller, with daughter Tasmin, a budding cricket fan.
Photo by
Kyabram Free Press

Brad’s our top cricketer

Kyabram skipper and all-rounder Brad Mueller has won the $200 Free Press KDCA A-grade Cricketer of the Year award.

Mueller clinched the award in the final home and away round, coming from behind to pip Fire Brigade all-rounder Ben Langley, who held the lead for several weeks.

Mueller said he was happy to have won the award but would have swapped it for his team appearing in the finals.

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Evelyn Graves, Valda McKenzie, Kathy Owen, Nance Fletcher and Valerie Carland celebrate 25 years of the Kyabram branch of Save the Children Fund.
Photo by
Kyabram Free Press

Save Children’s Fund celebrates 25 years

The Kyabram branch of the Save the Children’s Fund has celebrated in 25th anniversary along with four of its foundation members ― Evelyn Graves, Valda McKenzie, Valerie Carland and Nance Fletcher.

The founding members were recently awarded their life membership certificates and badges, along with Kathy Owen who received her long service award for 15 years of service.

The first official meeting of the branch was held on September 16, 1970, at the home of Mrs Beth in Tisdall Rd and she was elected first president.

Activities of the branch have been many and varied over the years.

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Another Kyabram invasion

Kyabram is set to be invaded for the second weekend running with the annual Kamikaze Ball and a parade and display of hot rod and custom cars this weekend.

Thousands are tipped to attend the district’s most popular event of the year ― the Kamikaze annual ball ― tomorrow night at the Kyabram Showgrounds.

The parade and display of hot rod and custom cars, expected to be about 150 in strength, should be another big crowd puller for the town over the weekend.

Although pre-paid ticket numbers are a little down on last year, Kamikaze Ball committee officials expect around 3000 to attend the annual fundraiser.

1976

David Arnold and Corroboree… a winning combination first up.
Photo by
Kyabram Free Press

Instant success

David Arnold of Kyabram has made a spectacular entry into the highly competitive field of greyhound training.

David or ‘Daisy’ as he is affectionately known, took over the training of a black and white greyhound dog called Corroboree about five weeks ago.

On Wednesday night at Bendigo, Corroboree had his first start for ‘Daisy’ and led all the way to score a dashing win in the main event on the program, the Free To All.

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Can Cooma win its first cricket premiership?

Can Cooma turn their biggest cricket dream ― to win a KDCA A-grade premiership ― into a reality in the grand final against Kyabram starting at the Kyabram Recreation Reserve tomorrow?

Cooma have thoroughly deserved their first A-grade grand final appearance in the club’s history and will go into the match favourites for the flag.

However, Kyabram’s great fighting win over Tongala in the semi-final showed that the home side is capable of causing an upset and the match should be a dourly contested battle from start to finish.

The big obstacle in Cooma’s premiership path is Kyabram’s dynamic skipper Bob Ferguson, who could win the game for his team with either ball or bat.

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Nostalgia flows as centenary celebrations draw to end

Kyabram’s Centenary Celebrations drew to a close yesterday after a weekend of nostalgia and activity unprecedented in the town’s 100-year history.

The memories came flooding back for hundreds of people who poured into the town to participate in the final days of the celebrations.

Kyabram’s greatest-ever weekend got away to a fine start on Friday morning with a special meeting of the Town Council to commemorate the centenary of the proclamation of the Village of Kyabram.

This was followed by a luncheon where guests included Members of Parliament, former councillors and representatives of the town’s service clubs and other organisations.