Local clay target shooters Robert Thompson and Scott Brydon were named as joint winners of this year’s Australia Day Sportsperson of the Year award.
Swimmer Makaila Gordon won the Kerrigundi Award and Ben Trudgett was awarded the Services to Sport trophy.
Cobar’s Australia Day event coordinator John Martin said it’s the first time in 20 years that two locals have jointly won the Sportsperson title.
In light of their sporting achievements over the past year, he said the judges believed both men were worthy of being named as Cobar’s Sportsperson of the Year.
Thompson was nominated for his outstanding achievements in clay target shooting at local, state, national and international level.
Over the past 12 months Thompson has had outstanding results competing in the Australian Trapshooters Australian Open as well as state and regional events.
He also competed at the Grand American Championships, the biggest competition on the shooting calendar in the world.
Brydon was recognised for his achievements competing as a disabled Clay Target shooter.
A relative newcomer to the sport, last year Brydon had success at a number of club, regional and state events which culminated in him competing at international level in Italy in October 2016.
Other nominees for this year’s Sportsperson award included Raymond Jones (swimming); Makaila Gordon (swimming); Lisa Travis (League Tag); Greg Prisk (Motocross and Enduro motorbike riding); Andrew Rorke (athletics); and the Roosterettes Ladies League Tag team.
This year’s Kerrigundi Award for outstanding sporting achievements by a young person at representative level went to swimmer Makaila Gordon.
Other nominees in this category included soccer player Ben Griffiths and swimmer Raymond Jones.
Described as the “backbone of the Cobar Roosters Senior Rubgy League Club”, Ben Trudgett was awarded the Australia Day Services to Sport award. Trudgett has the official title of media officer/registrar with the club however he also lends a hand with coaching and managing teams; acts as a mentor to young players; helps out with oval maintenance; and fundraising for the club.
Others who have contributed to their local sport over the past year who were nominated for this year’s Australia Day awards included: Cobar Netball Association past co-presidents Lisa Travis and Nikki Davey; Cobar Junior Soccer Club president Scott Griffiths; netball umpires Larnie Keen and Ronnette Richardson; and triathlon coordinators Zoë Harland and Stephanie Baker.
