The gates opened at 9am and within minutes the Tolmie Recreation Reserve was alive with engines, laughter and a steady stream of cars rolling in for the 139th Tolmie Sports Day. By mid-morning, thousands had descended on the grounds for one of the biggest turnouts in recent memory, reaffirming the event’s place as Australia’s oldest traditional sports day and a cornerstone of the High Country calendar. New and favourite races, along with equestrian events, drew the large crowd estimated at around 3000 — one of the best attendances on record. By midday, queues were still long at both entrances as the live action continued across the grounds. The official opening was held at 12.30pm, with Tolmie Sports Committee president Belinda Batchelor welcoming attendees and introducing Leon and Helen Storer — two of the longest-serving members of the committee. Mr Storer spoke briefly about the value of volunteering before declaring the sports day officially open. Ms Batchelor acknowledged the sponsors, the many volunteers who had put in hours of work both before and on the day, and her hard-working committee. She gave special mention to the continuing support of the Storers and Mike Dance, saying they worked tirelessly behind the scenes and that the day would not happen without volunteers. Mr Storer then introduced Mr Dance — also a long-serving member and volunteer — and presented him with Life Membership. With Valentine’s Day falling on the same weekend, a special themed event drew strong entries and plenty of spectators. Men carried a ‘blow-up’ horse to a ‘bride’, placed a veil on her head and wrapped a garter around their legs before completing a three-legged dash back to the finish line. After several heats, Michelle Bouma and Rodney Beams claimed victory in the final. The motocross stunt riders — two, not one as initially thought — drew a huge crowd with high-air stunts, with an additional demonstration added later in the day to satisfy demand. Equestrian events again attracted solid numbers, with competitors ranging from tiny tots to adults. Demonstrations by Mansfield SES and Tolmie CFA also drew strong audiences. Food stalls had continuous lines, while raffles and the spinning wheel remained popular attractions throughout the day. A full wrap of the sports day will be published in next week’s Courier (25 February). In the meantime, turn to pages 9 and 39 for more photos.
