Bathurst Cycling Club

Dubbo Cycling Club

Mudgee Cycling Club  

Orange Cycling Club

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NSWcycling.com CyclingNSW.com Contents & Resources information for Western Division Cycling  Bathurst-Dubbo-Mudgee-Orange Clubs Founded 1886
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Western division Management

HISTORY OF THE WESTERN DIVISION TEAM.

The Establishment of the Western Division Group.


The establishment of the inaugural Western and Northern Division Cycling Championships in 1886 may not necessarily be an indication of an effective Region Administration Body but maybe more the work Bathurst and Newcastle Bicycle Clubs had done establishing quality racing venues in their cities. After the NSWCU granted permission to hold the championships during 1986, the first divisional Championships were run in July 1886 at Newcaslte (Fairhall defeating Reed) and New Year ’s Day 1887 at the Bathurst Sports Ground where J Hemsley defeated R.Ashworth and C.W.Mills.


While the first championships may not necessarily be an indication of the effective management by a Region Administration Body, the continuation and growth of the championship in those early years would be. The cancelling of the Northern Districts title in 1887 showing the difficulty in developing the regional competition in those very early days of the sport.


Certainly NSW Western Division is proud that there Championships quickly established themselves. While the first Championship may only suggest the calibre of the application by Bathurst Bicycle Club in 1886, with the Southern Division Championships was not considered till the 1890’s; the sharing of the Western Championships between Bathurst, Lithgow and Dubbo in the first 5 years of establishing the Title, would certainly suggest good communication between the regions clubs in those very early years of the sport in Australia.


While it is difficult to suggest the success of the Western Division administration body simply by the running of Western Championships; it is acknowledged the development of Divisional Management around NSW was an early objective of the NSW Cycling Union who were keen to decentralize authority to regional bodies in the colony. So it seems from these early championships that Western Division Union was an effective management group due to the good network between the original cycling clubs of the West in those early titles. This can be emphasized by the slower development of the Southern Districts Championships.


Wagga Secretary Mr J E Gormly was behind a push by the Wagga Wagga Club to host the first Southern Distrists Championships. However their application to the NSWCU did not suggest any communication with other clubs in the region and was simply based around Wagga Bicycle Club being the Oldest and Largest Club in the southern portion of the colony. Maybe this could explain the Southern Championship not establishing itself till the early 1890’s, when G Evans won the first 1 mile Southern Champs from A Kennedy in March 1891.


There was even more drama in the Northern parts of the colony; after running the first Northern Districts Championships in 1886, Northern Cycling administration become embroiled in a personal battle between the inaugural champion Fairhall and main contender Turnbull and eventually cancelled the title. However it seems the rider dispute was only a smoke screen for the Newcastle real objective, which was to get a NSW Championship at their city. With the NSWCU knocking back there application for the state title the two bodies started fighting with the boundaries of the Northern NSW Union becoming a major drama. Consequently going into the 1890s the NSWCU was still trying to settle a dispute with the Northern Division on their Jurisdiction and little is reported about any divisional championships.  


For more on the History of Western Division Cycling CLICK Here for the History Page>>>



Good Management of the early Western NSW Events:


The achievement of cycling administrators in western NSW to hold successful early Western Division Events shouldn’t be underestimated as the sport of cycling was very much at its infancy and opinions differed greatly without any real history to set a precedent. Until the forming of the NSW Cycling Union championships titles were grudge matches, using a similar format as boxing. Generally high profile riders where challenged to a race for money and a non-regulated title.


With the Pro-Cycling Body (The League of Wheelman) still yet to be formed, these challenges still where occurring in the late 1880’s, although obviously against the ideals and regulations of the NSWCU. Both riders and promoters were looking to cash-in on the interest in the new sport and of course this issue would have to be faced by Western NSW Cycling administrators and they tried to enforce the NSWCU guidelines for running Championships.


Examples can be found in the newspapers where early Western NSW Champ A E Ashwoth was call-out to put his title and some cash up in a cycling challenge. In one incident Ashworth was challenged by Jas Ballinger in the Sydney Papers for money and the Title of Western District Champion in July 1889. Ashworth a much better rider than Ballinger, was keen to take his money. But trying to avoid any drama with local Union Officials he got together with famous local Professional Cyclist George Wiburd and set up the challenge.


Having already received a NSWCU suspension in the past for racing in a non sanctioned Highland Games carnival, Ashworth would have been keen to keep the challenge quite, yet obviously such a challenge would draw a lot of attention. Although it is difficult to establish the details, as a consequence it seems the 1mile Championship held each year in November at the Bathurst Sportsground has lost NSWCU sanctioning as the Western Districts title (although still advertised as a championship). Yet both Ashworth and Ballinger raced the annual 1 mile Championship and again Ashworth was a comfortable winner.


Specific information is difficult to find if in the eyes of the NSWCU whether a Divisional title was contested year, or if simply the riders themselves agreed the challenge was the championship. However it is worth noting that the papers reported that Sydney NSWCU officials came to the Bathurst November carnival to sort out some dispute with the local Bicycle Club. It certainly seems that this divisional title challenge could of been the start of the great cash racing debate which resulted in the establishment of the NSW League of Wheelman in the 1890’s.


For Results of early Western Division Championships CLICK Here for the Result Page >>>>

Western Region Management responses to the changing needs of Western NSW Cyclists:


The development of the Safety Bicycle and Pneumatic Tyres in the 1890s opened the sport up to more people with a huge boom period in Cycling Pre-World War 1. Not only did the Western NSW Championships introduce a variety of titles, the region also had to deal with a new type of cyclist with the NSW League of Wheelman establishing itself. During this time the Management Group of Western Districts (or Division) Cycling formalised itself even further and at the turn of the century the Western Division Union included clubs such as Bathurst, Orange, Lithgow, Portland, Mudgee, Caledonian, Blayney, Gulgong, Dubbo, Nyngan and Nymagee.


Amazing in 1904 the President of Western Division, G Yates with secretary C Williams suggested it was also a goal of their team to develop racing for the League riders as well as the Union. Suggesting the Western Division may have been affiliated with the Union but they were keen to assist all cyclist in NSW Western Division with their specific needs. This initiative by the Western Division Union to understand the needs of cyclist in our region at the start of the 1900’s still is at the core of the Western Division Committee in the 2000’s.   


For Details of the current Western Division Committee see the adjacent side panel >>>  

Current  Committee

Current WD Committee:


Senior Committee


DUBBO:

Craig Granger / Janette Eather  


ORANGE:

Mitchell Bland / Nigel Squire


BATHURST:

Mark Windsor / Toireasa Gallagher


MUDGEE:

David Paine / David Van Shaik


CHAIRMAN: Mark Windsor



Junior Committee


NOTE - No voting rights - but sent info and included in discussion regarding Junior Championships:


Tracy Robinson (Bathurst)

Mitchell Bland (Orange)

Matt Gilbert (Dubbo) TBC

Mudgee TBC


NOTE:- Information sharing and discussion will also occur with the Stakeholder group. The Stakeholder group is the organising clubs specific event directors that have been rostered-on for that years event.    

For More Details on the Committee and Management Guidelines CLICK on this Link

Past Committee Members:


Western Division Cycling thanks past members of the Committee for their assistance and contributions:


Carl Holleman (Mudgee)

Charlie Gascoyne (Orange)

Gina Brown (Orange)

Mark Tobin (Orange)

Dana Harris (Dubbo)

Contact Details:


The first point of contact for all Western Division Business in your Club Committee delegates as they will become the principle backers of that item in future committee discussion.


However I will set up a website email for any general enquires.


STAY Tuned for the Details

Current MISSION Statement for the Western Division Committee


Mission:


The CNSW Western Division Group plans to provide a stepping stone into more serious and intense racing at NSW State Open level. The Western Division group will cater for a wide range of riders in its Divisional Championships but will focus on the developing club riders that are looking to progress above the weekend club event.


The Mission of the CNSW Western Division events is to add more stimulation to the Club’s Weekly Calendar by adding hype created from prestigious quality regional level events which honour the Divisional History and cycling Traditions in the Western NSW Division.


The WDC Administration Group will encourage and assist the Regions clubs to upgrade their club calendar by promoting regional events that are in line with CNSW cycling development goals and strategies while maintaining the regions integrity and traditions as a cycling heartland in NSW.



For Western Division CONSTITUTION page - CLICK Here


For Western Division RACE RULES & REGULATIONS page - CLICK Here


For Western Division ADMINISTRATION GUIDELINES page - CLICK Here