Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

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Showing posts with label dragon boat racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dragon boat racing. Show all posts

Monday, 22 April 2024

Australian Dragon Boats and Dardanup Art Trail

 Hi everyone. I hope you are yours are doing well. 

Last week was a big week in our family with the Australian National Dragon Boat Championship Titles at Champion Lakes in Perth, Western Australia over 5 days 17-21 April, and the annual Dardanup Art Spectacular and Art Trail over the weekend of 20-21 April with the opening and awards night of the exhibition on Friday night. 

Our two sons were competing in the Dragon Boat raqcing and we went up to support them on Wednesday and Thursday. Our family has been involved in dragon boating since the summer of 1989-90, and we are members of a small regional club, the Forza Dragon Boat Club. Our club took out a swag of medals at the WA State Dragon Boat Titles a month ago, but it is a whole new experience and bigger challenge for Western Australian clubs to compete against the bigger Eastern states clubs, so unfortunately Forza didn't bring home any medals.

However they improved on their times, and on the last day of racing made the semi-finals in the Mixed 20's and Open Premier Division categories

We had eleven Forza paddlers competing with the WA State team on Friday, and they all won medals, albeit not gold, but a fantastic effort for a small club. Congratulations must go to all club members, paddlers, management and coaching team, especially our head coach and sweep, Paul Harrison. 



Unfortunately my husband and I had to come home on Thursday afternoon because my husband had some university work to do on Friday morning and we had to set up for the Dardanup Art Trail on Friday afternoon for the art trail over the weekend. I was there with all my usual - photography and botanical eco-prints on paper and cloth. I had a good weekend sales wise and it is always great to speak to all the people who come through. 

I was so excited to win the Photography section theme prize for the theme "Reflection" on Friday night.  We had to write a description of our image - This is what I wrote -  As we gaze out the window during our work day in the city we see reflections of our office windows in the windows of other buildings. Perhaps others are looking out at their reflections too. We are hemmed in by the buildings and the demands of work and economics, and feel we cannot escape. However over time the path-lines of our life will continually evolve, blur and change.

They say that winners are grinners and it was certainly true on Friday night at the Dardanup Art Spectacular art awards. Photography Group of Bunbury (of which I am a member) did exceptionally well. Judged by Sarah Henderson - Winner open photography - Jodie Deeley with Äutumn Tree; Winner Reflection theme - Jill Harrison with Reflecting Life; Highly Commended Open - Trevor Spivey with The Rose Hotel Corner; Highly Commened Reflection theme - ex member Chris Smith with Reflections on a Rainy Day. Honourable Mentions went to Glenys Hough, Chris de Blank, Trevor Spivey, Debbie Schramm, and Lina Coe. An Honourable Mention also went to Jill's Grandson Owen Harrison in the Secondary student division for his Rockpool Underwater Wonderland. You can see a list of all exhibition winners here - 2024 Dardanup art Spectacular winners

I want to thank everyone involved for their support over the weekend of the Dardanup Art Trail. Jenny Spokes and the Dardanup Art Spectacular & Art Trail committee for all your hard work putting together such a fabulous art exhibition and art trail. Father Wayne from the Dardanup Catholic church for allowing us to use the rooms again at the old Dardanup Convent, and Lisa for getting the space ready so brilliantly for us on Friday. Sarah Henderson for awarding me first prize in the photography theme "Reflections" division of the Art Exibition. The person who bought my red canna photo on the opening night of the exhibition - enjoy! The "convent girls" - Christine Blowfield, Sandra and Sylvia Nysten, (we have been exhibiting together I think 4 years now), Gemma Mangano (congrats again Gemma on winning the Portrait prize) and Cynthia Dix - you all make our space a great place to be for the weekend. My husband Rod for his continued support of me, my work and assisting me over the weekend - I couldn't do it without him. All the wonderful people who visited us over the weekend, chatted, encouraged, and loved my art enough to purchase from me - thankyou so much. You all help artists continue with their work. And who could have asked for much better weather! Glorious.


Unfortunately I didn't take many photos over the weekend so here are a couple from last year


It was a big week. Now for the clean up and pack away and I think spend some down time. And catch up on writing I need to do. 

You might also like:

Doodling on botanical eco-prints

Forza dragon boat club - 30 years and on!

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Until then, enjoy your day... it won't be back. 
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Monday, 7 February 2022

Forza Dragon Boat Regatta, Bunbury, Western Australia

 Happy Chinese New Year and welcome to the Year of the Tiger.

I have blogged about Chinese New Year and dragon boat racing before: Chinese New Year 2021 and Chinese New Year 2018

In fact dragon boat racing has been my family's sport since 1990. And our club, the Forza Dragon Boat Club celebrated their 30th anniversary in September 2021. 

Whereas I don't dragon boat race anymore, my two sons still do. My eldest son is our current club coach. That's him in the first seat in this pic below. 

Last weekend our club hosted their annual regatta on the Leschenault Inlet in Bunbury in Western Australia. But first a little history about dragon boat racing. 

Traditionally celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th Chinese lunar month, the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival began over 2000 years ago to drive off evil spirits, ask the dragons to watch over their crops and worship the Dragon God.

The festival was later enriched by the legend of Qu (pronounced Chu) Yuan, a legendary scholar, poet and statesman, who was banished from the court when lies were told about him to the Emperor.  Despair caused Qu Yuan to throw himself from a cliff into the Mi Lo River in 278 BC.

Local fisherman raced out in their boats to recover his body, banging their drums and hitting their paddles on the water to scare the evil spirits away. They threw lumps of rice into the water as an offering to Qu Yuan’s spirit, and to prevent the fish from eating his body.

Before racing the eyes are painted onto the dragons to bring them life and give them sight.

Dragon boating is now an international competitive sport for men, women and families. It encourages good sportsmanship, maintains the cultural traditions, and encourages acceptance and respect of all involved.

It is also a great way to get fit, make new friends, improve physical and mental health, enjoy our waterways, and the opportunity to travel and compete at elite levels.

On Saturday two new dragon boats were named after two life members - The Kusin and the Barbera in recognition of their work for the club over many years. Grant and Pina Barbera were the founders of our club. And Mark Kusin has worked tirelessly for our club and association over many years. 

Dotting the eyes of the dragon

On Saturday my husband and I were on-water controllers at the regatta in our power boat, so it was a good opportunity for me to take some pics.


The races on Saturday were all two boat match races. There was some fast and furious competition. The boats sit 20 paddlers, with a drummer on the front, and the sweep (the steerer) at the back. It is a true team sport as timing is paramount for successful racing. 

It is a great sport for families, and men and women of all ages. I have always enjoyed that men and women and families can compete equally in the same boat. There are also many teams around the world for breast cancer survivors, including one in Bunbury, the Crewsaders. 




Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed this little look at dragon boat racing. Do you have a family sport? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. 

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.
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Monday, 6 September 2021

Congratulations Forza Dragon Boat Club - 30 years and still paddling strong!

 Hi everyone, a different post than what I thought I would bring to you today, but I believe it is worth sharing. 

On Saturday night we went to the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Forza Dragon Boat Club. 

Forza Dragon Boat Club Inc (originally Forza Italia Dragon Boat Club) has been an important part of the Bunbury and Western Australian state dragon boat scene since the club was formed in 1991. The club’s 30 year history has shown distinction at local, national and international levels, taking out the coveted Western Australian Grand Prix Trophy in the 1996/97 and the 1998/99 seasons.  (The Italia was dropped from the name in 2003, voted in at an AGM, and in-line with current trends in sporting clubs, and in an effort to recruit more people into the club)

Here is a very early photo of the club - predominantly made up of people from the Italian community and created, managed and coached by Grant Barbera. 

Here is a pic from 1995 after winning a 1000 metre race. That is me in the front row first female on the left. I was much younger, thinner and fitter then! 


But  my family's history with dragon boating started much earlier than this. I paddled in the very first regatta in our city in March 1990 with a corporate team - The SCM Chemicals Dragonbusters. I was working at SCM Chemicals at the time and we put together a team, and trained for a few weeks before the regatta. We came second the to Lord Forrest Hotel in the Inter-Corporate Challenge. 

My goodness what an exciting day it was. I skipped the afternoon of a study course I was doing to compete. The Dragonbusters went on to to be very successful in the Corporate Division over the coming years, and my husband and eldest son followed me into the sport. The Dragonbusters folded at the beginning of the 1994-95 season, and that was when I joined Forza, with my husband and son following me again. 


Over the time our family has dragon boated, we have paddled on a State and National level, as well as competing internationally in Macau, Hong Kong, Penang and Singapore. I never imagined when I started paddling in 1990 where it would take us. I have never been into ball sports, but I found dragon boating was a perfect fit for me. 

Here I am with the combined Spirt of Bunbury International team before leaving for Hong Kong in 1993... far left second row. 


And with Forza in 1996 just before their Singapore trip after the men's crew won the right to attend the Singapore Invitational Dragon Boat regatta on Sentosa Island. And below that a photo of me with my husband and son at the Singapore regatta. My son was 17 at the time and swept (steered) the boat. 




Without a doubt these were exciting, heady days. The competition was fast and furious and the Bunbury Aqua-Spectacular Dragon Boat Festival had grown to a two day event with three local premier division club competing in mens, womens, mixed, veterans and junior classes (Forza, Spirit of Bunbury and the Bunbury Rowing Club), at least 5 local corporate teams, and a host of novice, ultra novice and high school teams racing against clubs from Perth and on two occasions a team from Asia. 


In 1998, my eldest son Paul, who started his dragon boat career in 1991 as a drummer, going on to become the team sweep, became a coach, and our youngest son Mark started paddling - as of today Mark is the only person in our state association who has Down Syndrome. The support Forza have given him has been absolutely amazing, and I thank them. It is an incredible thing for us that he can compete equally in a mainstream sport, and with his family in one boat. 


Paul - the guy on the back with the big sweep oar keeping the boat straight and yelling at the crew. 


 In 2005, with the help of a few others from our club, we launched Crewsaders Dragons Abreast for breast cancer survivors and their supporters. Part of a global movement for recovery and exercise and support for breast cancer supporters. 


And in 2009, our family was rewarded for our long term commitment to the sport, our club and the Association, when Forza's new Champion Class boat was named The Harrison after us. Below is a pic of us at the boat launch. That's our daughter-in-law in the middle, who had by then joined us. 

Dragon boating is truly a family sport - where all the members of the family, both male and female, young and old, can compete together in the one boat. It has been a great sport for our family over the years. 


But this post wasn't supposed to be about me and my family. 
Over the years hundreds of people have come through the ranks of Forza and dragon boating in Bunbury. Today there is only one club left in Bunbury, Forza, along with their partner crew, Crewsaders Dragons Abreast. Over that time there has been major upsets in the sport when both the State and National bodies were put into disarray and new associations formed. 


Numbers of club members have also waned, and it has been difficult to recruit young paddlers when there is so much on offer throughout our community. But throughout their 30 years Forza have remained true to their integrity and family values and their motto - Community Strength through Paddling.
Along with Fun, Fitness and Friendship.

My husband and I stopped dragon boating about 10 years ago but it still continues to be a part of our life with our two sons still competing, and our eldest still coaching. 

In 2020-21 season Forza won 6 medals at the WA State Dragon Boat titles. A very good result for a small club of mostly over 40 years olds! 

Congratulations Forza on your 30 years. May it continue for another 30. 
 


I am a life member of the Forza Dragon Boat Club. Here is a pic of me and the other two life members, Mark Kusin and Grant Barbera cutting the anniversary cake on Saturday night. 


What is the history behind dragon boating? It began in China as an occasion to drive off evil spirits and pestilence, to find peace and to supplicate the God of Water to precent diseaster and bring good fortune. The festival was later enriched by the legend of the poet Qu Yuan in 296BC during the Chou dynasty. 

Want to read more: You might like:


Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 


Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.
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