MANDY SMITH Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule yesterday handed over one ewe, ready for the barbecue, to his Central Hawke's Bay counterpart, Tim Gilbertson, following a slim defeat in the Mayoral Challenge bike ride on Sunday. The two mayors made the wager last week - whichever mayor had the most cyclists riding behindthem would win the bet. The Hastings ride attracted 296 cyclists, with 476 points being awarded to the district. The tally included MP Craig Foss, four district councillors, two regional councillors and four journalists. A total of 325 cyclists joined the CHB ride and 523 points were awarded. CHB mayor Tim Gilbertson said he put the win down to fantastic community support. "Lawrence tried to pull the wool over our eyes but our community rallied and he must be feeling quite sheepish after his over-confident bleating," he said. Central Hawke's Bay District Council's roading officer, Ethna Renner, said her district had done well, thanks to the participation of the world junior champion cyclist, Wesley Gough, and the Hawks basketball team. "The team had a game after our bike ride so they were happy to get involved, and the local police provided 10 bikes for them to use," she said. Mr Yule kept his word and selected a suitable animal to send to Mr Gilbertson. "I have my suspicions Tim paid the Hawks to show up and support him," Mr Yule said.
