IN a remarkable result, a stock agent from rural South Australia and his mate have taken first and
third place in a national fishing competition – beating anglers from across the country to the podium.
Winning the final round of the Bayer Big Fish Challenge, Tyson Fechner from Barossa Valley was
crowned the Bayer Rural Angler of the Year on Sunday after the competition in the NSW Snowy
Mountains.
The competition leverages fishing to give participants and rural Australians the space and time to
reflect, while enjoying nature and improving their mental and physical health.
Tyson has taken part in the competition for four years, leading his South Australian team, however
this was the first time he’d been to the grand final.
“Two years ago my mate Jed Haberman won the crown – we flipped a coin and he got to attend
that time around,” Tyson said.
As the best performing team in the 2024 competition, Team Barossa raised $2,000 for the charity
and earned two places in the Bayer Rural Angler of the Year competition.
“We’re in the middle of one of the dryest seasons in living memory here in South Australia, and as
a livestock agent I often speak with farmers who are feeling the weight of that.
“While winning the competition last weekend was undoubtedly great fun, it was also refreshing to
get some skills to help my clients build their mental strength.”
Tyson said fishing “brings you down to earth” and allows anglers to take note of what’s going on
around them.
“It’s great that the competition not only benefits the mental health of those who participate, but
also that of those rural Australians who are nominated to attend Bayer Retreats and who pick up
some of the same skills we learnt on the weekend.”
Tyson caught two brown trout on the first day of competition and two brook trout, a rainbow
trout and a 45 centimetre brown trout on the second day.
Bayer Crop Science’s Head of Sales, Tony May, said Tyson and Jed quickly became known
amongst the anglers as the “Barossa twins”.
“It was great to see these two younger blokes take on some of the competition’s older
participants,” Tony said.
“Personally, I appreciated taking a moment for my own mental health and enjoyed the company of
everyone who fished and attended the event dinner on Saturday night.
“It goes to show the role that fishing can play in bringing people together and just how thoroughly
this competition supports the mental wellbeing of rural Australians. The anglers have an incentive
to get out and fish, while also allowing their fellow community members to a Bayer Retreat.”
Together, participants and Bayer contributed $45,000 to The Fly Program last year.
To date, the funding has allowed The Fly Program to deliver Bayer Retreats for more than 70 rural
Australians who needed to take some time to focus on their mental wellbeing.
