Tasmania’s top chopping family will experience complete family union at this year’s Timbersports Australian Championship in Melbourne.
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In addition to dad Dale and brothers Daniel and Zack stepping up to the plate, mum Amanda will compete in the inaugural women’s competition to complete the Beams bonanza - a family member in all three categories.
The Winkleigh mum will be the only Tasmanian in the eight-strong event and should go in favourite after setting the top times in last month’s trials.
“It is really important to me that I win this competition,” she said.
“It’s exciting that we can now compete... and I want to be the first to take the Stihl Timbersports Australian women’s champion title.”
Victorian 21-year-old Maddison Kirley is expected to provide some stiff competition over the three-discipline event, but Beams is confident her own preparation has her in good stead.
“I’ve worked hard since the time trials and focused heavily on my stock saw.
“I’ve also worked on my single buck, even changing the hand that I saw off, so I’m feeling confident going into the competition.
“I’ll make sure I work hard to keep my points high all day and hope that I don’t DQ.”
For Beams’ husband, the championship comes as a chance to return to the Chopperoos team.
Dale, who will be joined in the 16-man pool by fellow Tasmanians Matthew Gurr and Kody Steers, made the team in 2014 and has set his sights on a top-five finish which would see him qualify for the 2017 squad.
“Consistency is the answer to doing well... so I’ll take each discipline as it comes and do my best in each,” he said.
“It would be a dream to get back on the Chopperoos team, I was part of the team that started the three-year winning streak.
“It was a great experience and definitely a highlight of my sporting career.”
Tasmania dominates the rookie championship lineup, boasting five of the ten competitors.
Beams brothers Zack and Daniel will come up against another set of brothers in the four-discipline event - Deloraine’s Daniel and Luke Gurr - with Sheffield’s Josh Bakes rounding out the Tasmanians.
Daniel, the younger of the two Beams boys at 21, said he was eyeing off the title of rookie champion.
“I tend to do well in the single buck and underhand and I’ve used royal shows as my training for the championship, so I’m feeling fit and confident,” he said.
The national championship event will be held at Albert Park between October 6 and 8.
