The Meyer family is made of tough stuff.
The Romsey clan has produced four generations of woodchop champions, and recently notched up another win, taking home an impressive tally of 23 ribbons from this year’s Royal Melbourne Show.
For almost 70 years, the Meyers have been competing in woodchop events around Australia, and the world – starting in 1948 when Les Meyer first competed.
Les passed on his skills and passion to his sons, grandsons and great grandsons.
Seven of the Meyers travelled from Romsey and Broadford to compete at this year’s show, including Les’s grandson Brad, who said that woodchopping had become a proud family tradition.
“When I was younger, I saw woodchopping as a way that I could really bond with my dad, and I grew to love the sport,” Brad said.
“I think my boys now see it the same way … My sons, Blake and Kyle, and nephews Brayden and Luke have been competing for about eight to 10 years.”
Brayden, a fourth generation woodchopper, has clinched the Stihl Timbersports Champions Trophy in Austria and a number of world titles at shows around Australia.
But it is not just Mayer men who compete in woodchopping competitions.
“This year my sister-in-law Janet competed in the inaugural women’s cross-cut sawing at the Melbourne Show,” Brad said.
“There were many women’s events this year, and it was great to see so many talented women showing off their skills at such an important event for the sport.”
Brad has worked in the timber industry for almost 30 years and currently contracts for VicForests, along with his two sons.
VicForests’ general manager Nathan Trushell said the department places a lot of importance on supporting the communities they work in throughout Victoria.
“Many timber industry workers, like the Meyers, are the fourth, fifth or sixth generation of forestry industry workers in their family.”
