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Active Farmer Games get Farmers Active

As Gold Partners of the Active Farmers Games, Corteva Agriscience staff have put the commitment in to action, competing at the recent competition in Temora, New South Wales.

Held in early March prior to social distancing restrictions were enforced, Corteva fielded a team consisting of Seeds Director Richard Chambers, Horticultural Business Manager Nick Koch, Procurement Leader Vanessa Deschamps, Commercial Effectiveness Leader Alexis Middleton, Marketing Communications Manager Karen Deane and Barb Checchi from Customer Service. Partners and children also took part.

The Active Farmers Games involve people in teams of three – which must include one male and one female – tackling 19 obstacles over a two-and-a-half-kilometre course.

Active Farmers Event Manager Alison Skinner said 160 people competed in the main race.

“It was such a fantastic day with lots of fun and laughter, and we were so lucky to be able to still hold the Games,” Alison said.

“The most important things about the Games is that people get involved – especially men – work together as a team to achieve a common goal and to have fun,” she said.

“The Active Farmers Games is a way to show people that by being physically active you can get some great benefits to your mental health and that together as a team we are stronger to tackle life’s problems than we are alone.”

Corteva Agriscience Marketing Communications Manager Karen Deane said competing on the day was a brilliant opportunity, both professionally and personally.

“It was fantastic to meet and talk to our customers, especially as most of us that attended are from head office in Sydney, so don’t get as many opportunities to get our ‘boots dirty’,” Karen said.

“Corteva is always proud to support community events and initiatives but we get so much more value out of a sponsorship by attending, helping and getting involved,” she said.

“The people you meet and the stories that are told are priceless, and to see firsthand the great work that is being done in communities by Active Farmers was unreal.

“It was also a great way to build rapport between colleagues as the whole idea of the games is to support each other through tough obstacles.

“There were some tough obstacles on the course, but we all worked together and got over the giant hay barrels and helped each other to swim across the lake and crawl through the mud!”

Active Farmers Event Manager Alison Skinner said the partnership with Corteva is a valued one.

“Active Farmers cannot run such successful events like the Active Farmers Games without the support of businesses like Corteva,” she said.

“I think it’s important for people to see that by farmers supporting businesses like Corteva, Corteva support Active Farmers and Active Farmers in turn support the farmers by providing our programs and events in their towns.

“This is a real-life example of showing that together we are stronger, and we are in turn all helping each other to be stronger and more resilient.”

Active Farmers is a health-related charity that provides group exercise classes across rural Australia with the aim of building stronger more resilient rural communities. For more information visit www.activefarmers.com.au