Bobby Dowling competing in the Stihl Timbersports New Zealand Championship. Photo / Supplied
Bobby Dowling competing in the Stihl Timbersports New Zealand Championship. Photo / Supplied
Woodchopper Bobby Dowling is somewhat of a hero in his hometown of Tuatapere.
It was there, in the small Southland town of around 600 people, that he learned the skills that would eventually send him to the Stihl Timbersports World Championship in Prague in November this year.
Dowling is awoodchopping veteran of 25 years, so The Muster's Andy Thompson was surprised to learn he was only 32 when he interviewed him from the Hawke's Bay A&P Show.
Dowling told Thompson he started learning when he was "around 7 or 8", as his father and older brother were competing, and he looked up to them both.
"I decided it would be a good idea to have a go at it so I kept hounding them until they made me a little axe".
"I wasn't much good until I was about 14 or so, but I had a lot of fun on the way".
Bobby Dowling has focused on sawing rather than chopping after an ankle accident. Photo / Supplied
Since then, Dowling has gone on to win both the 2018 and 2019 Single Saw World Championship in Sydney, as well as the 2019 Double Saw World Championship and the 2019 Jack N Jill Championship.
Dowling said he was forced to focus on sawing after a devastating ankle injury made woodchopping too difficult.
"I used to be a more of an allrounder ... then I had a bad accident about six years ago when I shattered my right ankle when I was competing over in Canada".
Dowling was out of action for four years and when he returned to the sport "a couple of years ago" he found chopping too hard on his ankle.
"So I decided to focus more on my sawing. My chopping's coming through now, but the sawing's been more of a focus for me since I've come back from injury".
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As a result of his injury, Dowling will be competing in the World Championships as a single sawyer and a stock sawyer for the New Zealand team.
The rest of the Kiwi team is made up of Kyle Lemon, Shane Jordan, Jack Jordan and Kahu Wooley.
Dowling said he was feeling "pretty good" about the competition and was "ready to have a crack at it".
"We've got some good allrounders in the team. I'm probably the more specialised one. I'm more of a single sawyer and stock sawyer - but it's just what you're good at I suppose".
To find out more about the World Championships and to watch a live stream of the events in November, check out the website here.
