PIA Mystery Creek

Our wee PIA superstars have done it. Top of the podium in the National Silver Staples Cadet Fencing Final. Awesome effort Tom B & Cullen B. Plus Cayden H & Issy A coming in 5th. It has been a meteoric rise for PIA since debuting 2 years ago and improving each year. So much learning!

There's no rest for the lads with The NZ Young Farmer Fencing Final in Invercargill in the holidays (Under 31 yrs), followed by NZ Secondary Schools in Taupo in August.

We took 13 students to the Mystery Creek Fieldays with a spot of fencing for everyone and a sneaky wee look around the fieldays.

Highlights included

• We send Peter off to collect our spirit of adventure students from the middle of Hamilton. "How will I know who they are?" "You’ll know" is the reply, and sure enough, he spots the Woodbury Wonder mullet wafting in the breeze- yip, he's the one I'm looking for.

• We have a Greer-Lilly, and an Angus, with us - loving the official airfare names.

• What a difference a year makes. Last year, we described Batty as swimming the race of the drowning - this year, not only does he float, he dives - clearly, CBay lessons have paid off.

• More pool drama as McKeown and Cameron break the inflatable seal (actually, Sarah, it's a dinosaur), and apparently they rescued it from the bottom of the pool - proving their life-saving abilities - a crowd gathers to watch resuscitation in progress.

• “You're cute”, Cullen's cup overflows at the comment from the little old lady at Countdown - being wheeled in a trolley wearing his hi viz.

• Dan Douglass calls in to impart some final words of wisdom: “Leave it all out there, finish knowing you have done the best you can, we can’t ask for more.”

• So it's been raining and Team Leader decides to be helpful and moves the babies boots inside, resulting in chaos in the morning as all the size 11 owners have forgotten who they are. Quite the Cinderella moment trying on boots.

• Quinn thinks he's talented: Team Leader thinks he's related.

• The chief lifeguard wants to know where we find these kids - answer just some randoms we found to fill the van: seriously, he loves us.

• I made a new friend in the shower - now this quote could only come from Cullen

• Cullen puts up a post thanking all our supporters...on the opposition's FB page by mistake. 

• We take the trophy out to tea, followed by a jaunt to the pool. Team Leader may never let it go

• It's official, Team PIA have joined the posh people

• The Building Academy are taking a break from the house for the next week to build PIA a bigger trophy cabinet.
  

• The downside to topping the podium is that everyone in sight now thinks Team Leader is a hugger.

• Cullen, “I’ve been run over by a quad, arrested and flown a plane, I think it's time for bed”.

Our success is largely due to all the amazing people who so freely give of their time, expertise and sponsorship. Everyone we talk to is amazed at the fundraising effort and hard work that goes into our North Island jaunt.

 PIA would like to thank:

Dan Douglass Fencing, Struan Moore and the Strainrite team, Quinn Foley-Smith, FCANZ: Jamie, Donna, Phil,  Paul Van Beers, Shane & Jolene Bouskill, Tim Garrick, NZ Fencing Competitions: Owen Peterson, Leanne Stanger, Debbie Whyte

Our sponsors: Four Peaks Transport, Alps Seed, Geraldine ITM,  Blakely, Point Lumber, Rangitata Dairies, Marriott Farming, Stoney Creek, Pye group, Arundel Ag, Highstreet, Pamu, Geraldine Spraying - Hayden & Julie Batty, Rangitata Downs Farms - Henry & Erin Bolt, Geraldine Lions, Smiths seed potatoes, Water force.

• From Team Leader, we are super proud of how far you have come. To Tom B & Cullen B, Issy A & Cayden H: You are great role models, and that rare teenager who is always ready to pitch in, help without being asked, take the time to learn from others while doing the hard yards yourself, first to arrive and last to leave, up for a good yarn along the way. Truly inspirational.