Almost by chance the New Zealand Masters Games in Wanganui has become a feeder event for the national representative ranks.
Five years ago a group of Wanganui women chose woodchopping as their preferred event at the Games and have since represented their country - beating the Australians in the process.
Former top class netballer and basketballer Julie Rowan and her mate Rochelle Molan along with Jacky Brown have been regulars on the Masters podium in Wanganui every two years since first registering in 2009.
Rowan and Molan, in fact, have won gold in the Jill and Jill woodchopping events at every games they have entered, including this year.
And last year they were members of the New Zealand team to contest the annual trans-Tasman test series at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.