1981
Cyclist Stephen Pate was named Kyabram Apex Club’s 1980-81 Sportstar of the Year and announced his aim was to become the town’s second Olympian.
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The 17-year-old was being coached by his father Bob, who was also part of the field of 18 nominees.
Basketball stalwart Russ Parker’s devotion to his sport won him the award for the best contribution to local sport.
Pate joined the likes of international cricketer Jim Higgs, golf star Glenda Ivill and Olympic javelin thrower Pam Matthews as the sportstar winner and was preparing to compete with Victoria in the road titles in Tasmania later in the year.
Other nominees were swimmer Felica Arena, yachtsman Geoff Price, footballers Chris Salter, Dave Connally and Paul Normington, Geoff Summers (car racing), Craig Elliott (athletics) and Alby Smith (bowling).
— Kyabram played Tongala in the opening round of the Goulburn Valley season, star Bomber Bil Fry knocked unconscious and setting off a series of brawls where Kyabram recruit Wayne Delidio had his number taken.
Tongala gun recruit Gavin Taylor kicked four goals for the Blues and Mick Souter three as former Kyabram player (now Tongala coach) Peter Warburton hit the scoreboard and guided the team to a 12-point win.
Greg Bowers kicked five goals for Kyabram, while Russ Barrett, Ian Burgess and the McKenzies — Stuart and Greg — also finished in the Bombers’ best.
In district football Austin Maxwell was best on ground for Girgarre in its win against Undera, with support from new coch Geoff Harrison and veteran Bob Bertoli.
Merrigum’s new coach Gary McKenzie, Mick Pettifer and Greg Pell were the Bulldogs’ best, while Lancaster recruit Vic Castles, Phil Wade and Terry Nepean were the Wombats major contributors.
— Stanhope was premier and champion of the section one in the Kyabram District Tennis Association.
The team beat Echuca’s Christ Curch by 19 games in the grand final, with Dianne Vegter, Richard Osborne, Pat Marks, Kieran Walsh, Marg Haw, Bill Macknamara, Robert Gibb and Shane Walsh making up the team.
— Kyabram basketball’s senior female team won the state’s Division three title at Bendigo after qualifying for the tournament at Moe and Ballarat tournaments.
They beat Craigieburn when Pauline Ryan and Leonie McKenzie were brilliant, then started slowly against Castlemaine before being inspired by Kate Flaherty and winning by seven points.
In the final Kyabram faced Melton, which had previously beaten the team. Sharon Fitzsimmons, Lyn Dobbin and Lynne Marshall all contributed and Pauline Ryan was named MVP of the grand final
1991
Girgarre claimed the Kyabram District Cricket Association premiership, dismissing Cooma 81 runs shy of its 229 run first innings.
Fred Andrews and Andrew Morris both took four wickets for Girgarre and then Morris was unbeaten on 42 in the second innings as the match petered out into a first-innings victory for the Dehne Hausfeld-captained Girgarre.
A week earlier Girgarre had won its way into the grand final when its last two batsmen, Andrews and Steve Martin, added more than 50 runs for the last wicket to steal the victory and a place in the final.
— Kyabram started the 1991 season with a 141-point win against Tatura, record-breaking full-forward Chris Stuhldrieir kicked nine goals and Lawrie Casey was best on ground.
Casey had returned to the Bombers after a year playing with Narrandera, while Daryl Argus also came back to the club after spending the pre-season with Footscray, but missing out on the draft.
Danny Hindson kicked six goals and boom recruits David Cunningham and Ian Bloomfield also featured in the Bombers’ best.
— Barry Nexhip played his 201st game for Tongala and received life membership of the Goulburn Valley league.
The star goalsneak kicked four goals in the Blues match against Lemnos and long-time forward partner Mick Souter kicked five, but the team lost by eight points as Robbie Harrison and Russ Byrnes were named its best players.
Nexhip played in the game despite being appointed coach of Heathcote league club Stanhope and a week later played in the Lions’ colours.
2001
Veteran Kyabram lawn bowler Bert Bates received the highest honour in Victorian bowls, the Medal of Merit.
The 86-year-old was the first Kyabram bowler to be afforded the honour, recognising a playing and administrative career that had spanned 43 years.
He had only finished playing pennant bowls a year earlier.
— Three of the biggest names in Kyabram district league goalkicking featured at the top of the table after three rounds of the season.
Perry Meka, Gavin Exell and Danny Irwin, all who kicked hundreds of goals across a number of country leagues, were at the top of the table.
Exell kicked 22 goals against Murchison and had 37 after four rounds, while Meka bagged 11 and Irwin half a dozen for the round.
Meanwhile, Lancaster had started the season strongly and won by four points against another premiership challenger, Undera, when Matt Carver was best afield and Mick Portia wasn’t far behind.
Heath Barnett kicked three goals in the win and Corey Carver also featured in the best.
— Des Campbell coached the GVFL to a 10-goal win against the Bendigo league in the Smokefree Country Championships at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Jason Rachele was best on ground, while captain Steve Ash (father of GWS player Lachie) and Brad Campbell (four goals) were also among the best.
Kyabram’s Matt Trimby played in the win and the Bombers also had two players in the Under-18 team that also beat Bendigo, Paul Newman and Damien Weardon.
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