From the paddock to the field explores the link between agricultural and sporting success stories in the Riverina and southern NSW. The Riverina is home to some of the finest agricultural producers in Australia. It is also a region renowned for sporting success stories. It is not unusual for an individual to juggle the commitments of working in a family farming business or the rural sector and then backing it up with several sessions of strenuous training a week to meet their sporting goals. Mateship, camaraderie and premierships all combine with equal importance for Waratahs leader Tim Corcoran. Corcoran has held the reins at the club as captain for two years and he combines training and games with a career in rural property management. His role at Delta Livestock and Property in Wagga provides insights into the agricultural sector and also allows him to draw on his country upbringing at a Boorowa property in the South West Slopes. Corcoran talks about the importance of a united front, sportsmanship and team work. He said this was part of the philosophy that helped him to perform in sport and also in his career. Continue reading The saying ‘a journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step’ is literal when describing the lifestyle of Anthony Metcalfe of “Madeira,” at French Park in southern NSW. Metcalfe is a generational farmer in the Lockhart Shire and runs a cropping operation growing wheat, barley and lentils. However, when he is not sowing or harvesting he can be found hitting the hills of Pomingalarna on the outskirts of Wagga or competing at an ultra event in Motatapu in New Zealand. From his first 100 mile race, the You Yangs Hard Core 100, Metcalfe hasn’t looked back. And if it means taking breaks from training and racing to get the crops sown or to complete harvest he simply takes advantage of the “work-imposed” rest. Continue reading Krystle Yin balances her time between studying at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga and training at an elite level as part of the Moguls Snow Skiing team. Her aim is to become a veterinary surgeon after completing her studies in Wagga. While her career ambitions fit firmly into the rural and regional sector her sporting success has provided an opportunity to travel the world. Continue reading Stuart Lymbery loves nothing more than a big challenge. For him that might mean completing the toughest endurance ride known as the Shahzada in St Albans. The Shahzada stretches some 400 kilometres and is considered one of the most gruelling and challenging events in the sport. It is an opportunity for horse and rider to be matched against tough terrain big distances and it is the ultimate test of fitness and soundness – and he has successfully completed this event 11 times. Continue reading Tom Yates of Yerong Creek is a fourth generation farmer. He helps to run the “Barwon” property in southern NSW. The family grows 1230-hectares of winter crop and runs 1000 cross bred ewes as well as an accompanying prime lamb enterprise. The Yates name is attached to the successful ram-breeding business which produces top genetics for Poll Dorset and White Suffolk producers under the prefix of Barwon. Yates is also the captain coach of The Rock-Yerong Creek. This means he has to be at the top of his game both in the paddock, and on the field. Continue reading James Luff has the perfect training ground. The characteristic Adjungbilly hills are what he calls home and it is also the location where his family farm “Cotway”, a grazing property which runs Bond sheep and Angus cattle. Adjungbilly is also in the drawing area for the popular Group Nine club Gundagai Tigers. It is this club that allowed Luff to start his career in playing rugby league as a junior. Playing for Wests Tigers as an 18-year-old was certainly a highlight and one to be proud of. But that said, getting a win for Gundagai in 2015 after the club experienced a 40-year-long drought is what he identifies as the pinnacle. Continue reading Sharing life skills as a sporting coach is something that is invaluable to Iain Hume and the young athletes he works with. Hume is a cyclist a coach and also works as a research hydrologist with the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in Wagga. Cycling tours and an interest to see the world initially triggered his enthusiasm for the sport but his fondness for bikes dates back to childhood. To wind back the story back chronologically, he purchased his first bike as a 13-year-old after earning money from completing a paper round. This independence was something that he remembers vividly. Continue reading The paddock to the field first appeared in The Rural
Paddock to the Field: When life on the land and sport collide
HOME ADVANTAGE: James Luff of Gundagai Tigers is pictured at Anzac Park, Gundagai.
FAMILY SPORT: Wagga endurance rider Stuart Lymbery (right) is pictured with his daughter Sarah. Picture: Animal Focus
PUSH THE LIMITS: Vili Cavuca for City with ball and Tim Corcoran (left). Corcoran is a rural property manager with Delta. Picture: Les Smith
ALL TERRAIN: Anthony Metcalfe of French Park runs with his daughter Imogen. Picture: Supplied
VAST EXPERIENCE: Charles Sturt University, Wagga, veterinary science student Krystle Yin is on the moguls skiing team.
TRUE COMMITMENT: Ultra runner and farmer Anthony Metcalfe of French Park is pictured with his trail running shoes and hydration pack. Picture: Nikki Reynolds
IDEAL MIX: Tom Yates of "Barwon", Yerong Creek is pictured with first-cross ewes. Yates is the captain coach of The Rock-Yerong Creek. Picture: Nikki Reynolds
IDYLLIC TERRAIN: NSW Department of Primary Industries hydroligst, Iain Hume of Wagga is put through his paces during a mountain bike event. Picture: Supplied
THE JOURNEY: Anthony Metcalfe (left) joins Tom Denniss as they approach Wagga during one of his first marathons in 2013. Metcalfe's now a seasoned endurance runner.
PROUD MOMENT: Finish line smiles for Anthony Metcalfe and his daughter Imogen run together.
SPORTING SUCCESS: James Luff of Gundagai winner of the Weissel Medal pictured with grandson of Eric Weissel Gary Burke.
GOING FOR A TRY: Gundagai's James Luff spots the line and goes in for a try.
IN THE GAME: Gundagai Tigers player James Luff. Picture: Les Smith
AT THE YARDS: Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre operations manager Stuart Lymbery. Picture: Nikki Reynolds
NEW DEVELOPMENT: Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre operations manager Stuart Lymbery is pictured with the centre's manager Paul Martin. Picture: Nikki Reynolds
IN A DAY'S WORK: Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre operations manager Stuart Lymbery.
RURAL CONNECTION: Tim Corcoran is a rural property manager with Delta and also plays rugby union. Picture: Nikki Reynolds
ON THE FIELD: Tim Corcoran is pictured in his role as Waratahs captain during a game against Leeton. Picture: Les Smith
SPORTING CHANCE: Tim Corcoran of the Waratahs is pictured during a game with Leeton. Picture: Les Smith
TOP ROLE: Tom Yates of Yerong Creek is the captain, coach of The Rock-Yerong Creek. Picture: Les Smith
ON THE FIELD: Clint Taylor and Tom Yates.
WINNERS: The Rock premiership players 2006 back row (L) Graham Fellows, Justin Driscoll, Bryan Ball, Todd Hannam and Tom Yates, front (L) 1986 players Mark Driscoll, Bob Driscoll and Peter Yates. Picture: Les Smith
CRUNCH THE FIGURES: Iain Hume is pictured taking measurements at NSW Department of Primary Industries in his role as a research hydrologist. Picture: Nikki Reynolds
DIVERSITY: A collection of road, track and mountain bikes keep Iain Hume mobile in his cycling pursuits. Picture: Nikki Reynolds
ACCURACY: Measuring soil moisture levels at Wagga. Iain Hume is pictured in his role as a research hydrologist. Picture: Nikki Reynolds
From the paddock to the field explores the link between agricultural and sporting success stories in the Riverina and southern NSW.
The Riverina is home to some of the finest agricultural producers in Australia. It is also a region renowned for sporting success stories.
It is not unusual for an individual to juggle the commitments of working in a family farming business or the rural sector and then backing it up with several sessions of strenuous training a week to meet their sporting goals.
Tim Corcoran, rural property manager, rugby union
Mateship, camaraderie and premierships all combine with equal importance for Waratahs leader Tim Corcoran. Corcoran has held the reins at the club as captain for two years and he combines training and games with a career in rural property management. His role at Delta Livestock and Property in Wagga provides insights into the agricultural sector and also allows him to draw on his country upbringing at a Boorowa property in the South West Slopes. Corcoran talks about the importance of a united front, sportsmanship and team work. He said this was part of the philosophy that helped him to perform in sport and also in his career. Continue reading
Anthony Metcalfe, cropping farmer, endurance athlete
The saying ‘a journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step’ is literal when describing the lifestyle of Anthony Metcalfe of “Madeira,” at French Park in southern NSW. Metcalfe is a generational farmer in the Lockhart Shire and runs a cropping operation growing wheat, barley and lentils. However, when he is not sowing or harvesting he can be found hitting the hills of Pomingalarna on the outskirts of Wagga or competing at an ultra event in Motatapu in New Zealand. From his first 100 mile race, the You Yangs Hard Core 100, Metcalfe hasn’t looked back. And if it means taking breaks from training and racing to get the crops sown or to complete harvest he simply takes advantage of the “work-imposed” rest. Continue reading
Krystle Yin balances her time between studying at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga and training at an elite level as part of the Moguls Snow Skiing team. Her aim is to become a veterinary surgeon after completing her studies in Wagga. While her career ambitions fit firmly into the rural and regional sector her sporting success has provided an opportunity to travel the world. Continue reading
Stuart Lymbery, Wagga LMC operations manager, endurance rider
Stuart Lymbery loves nothing more than a big challenge. For him that might mean completing the toughest endurance ride known as the Shahzada in St Albans. The Shahzada stretches some 400 kilometres and is considered one of the most gruelling and challenging events in the sport. It is an opportunity for horse and rider to be matched against tough terrain big distances and it is the ultimate test of fitness and soundness – and he has successfully completed this event 11 times. Continue reading
Tom Yates, fourth generation farmer, Australia rules footballer
Tom Yates of Yerong Creek is a fourth generation farmer. He helps to run the “Barwon” property in southern NSW. The family grows 1230-hectares of winter crop and runs 1000 cross bred ewes as well as an accompanying prime lamb enterprise. The Yates name is attached to the successful ram-breeding business which produces top genetics for Poll Dorset and White Suffolk producers under the prefix of Barwon. Yates is also the captain coach of The Rock-Yerong Creek. This means he has to be at the top of his game both in the paddock, and on the field. Continue reading
James Luff, grazier, rugby league
James Luff has the perfect training ground. The characteristic Adjungbilly hills are what he calls home and it is also the location where his family farm “Cotway”, a grazing property which runs Bond sheep and Angus cattle. Adjungbilly is also in the drawing area for the popular Group Nine club Gundagai Tigers. It is this club that allowed Luff to start his career in playing rugby league as a junior. Playing for Wests Tigers as an 18-year-old was certainly a highlight and one to be proud of. But that said, getting a win for Gundagai in 2015 after the club experienced a 40-year-long drought is what he identifies as the pinnacle. Continue reading
Iain Hume, research hydrologist, cyclist
Sharing life skills as a sporting coach is something that is invaluable to Iain Hume and the young athletes he works with. Hume is a cyclist a coach and also works as a research hydrologist with the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in Wagga. Cycling tours and an interest to see the world initially triggered his enthusiasm for the sport but his fondness for bikes dates back to childhood. To wind back the story back chronologically, he purchased his first bike as a 13-year-old after earning money from completing a paper round. This independence was something that he remembers vividly. Continue reading
