Together Everyone Achieves More. If you take the first letters of those four words you get TEAM, and this district has plenty of team players and teams to be proud of right now.

This week Methven-born-and-raised Dallas McLeod was named in the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship squad, reward for a stellar season with the Crusaders and testament to his hard work ethic and personal growth in the game.

Dallas is a product of Mount Hutt College, leaving the district in his Year 13 to attend Christ’s College to further his rugby dreams. Up until then, he could be found in the black and white hoops of the Methven Rugby Club and in the combined Ashburton College/Mount Hutt First XV playing in the Crusaders region secondary school competition.

He has achieved many of his rugby dreams and now has a golden chance to book a ticket to the World Cup in France later this year.

Dallas joins an elite group of All Blacks who hail from the Ashburton District, including the likes of Jock Ross and Tim Perry, and will be an inspiration for the current local combined first XV, which is back in the secondary school competition this year and doing well.

First though, will be the Crusaders-Chiefs Super Rugby final in Hamilton on Saturday and I hope to see our red and black rugby machine in top gear once again, with Dallas playing his part.

Not all of the star performers in this district play sport and two that I have written to personally in the past month were recognised in the recent Queen’s Birthday honours (it will be known as the King’s Birthday honours from next year).

Ron Smith and Richard Lemon were both awarded Queen’s Service Medals for services to their communities and interest groups.

I got to know Ron Smith during his term on the Methven Community Board, and Ron’s medal was for services to the community and Search and Rescue.

He joined the Methven land Search and Rescue in 1989 and has changed the local and national organisation for the better, introducing training for volunteers.

He has also been an instrumental member of the Methven Lions Club, a service group that lends practical support to all manner of projects around Methven, including the well-used Methven walkway.

Richard’s was for his services to the agriculture and pastoral industry.

Richard was wearing his A&P hat when he spoke to Council recently about the association’s plans to enhance the Ashburton showgrounds and he will be an asset in helping the group realise this project.

He has been involved in A&P show events in Canterbury and Ashburton since 1976 and served on committees and in key organising roles, equally at ease talking with Princess Anne, or local cattle-breeders or townies watching the live birth of a lamb in the sheep tent.

Richard is a proud member of our district’s farming team.

Another high performer on the farming team is Hamish Marr, a fifth-generation Methven farmer who has just been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy.

Hamish grows high-quality seeds for export and his new role will see him work with our trading partners to tell the story about how New Zealand is moving towards a sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural sector.