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The inaugural Country Championships Series and Provincial Championships Series have attracted an amazing amount of interest right around NSW.

With such a widespread following, newspaper sports editors have been invited to ‘support their local horses’ that are heading to Royal Randwick to do battle this weekend and the following Saturday. TAB has joined with The Championships to get behind each region’s horses by placing $100 the win on each galloper that lines up for the finals in both the Country Championships (Saturday 4 April) and Provincial Championships (Saturday 11 April).

All sports editors have nominated a charity and the funds raised from $100 on the two winners of the Country & Provincial Championships Finals will go to their respective charity.

No doubt ample bragging rights will emanate from the winning newspapers with locals cheering ‘their’ horse to land the finals with two charities benefitting.

“The Country and Provincial Championships have been a revelation and have sparked interest in racing right around the state and beyond,” said Racing NSW Chief Executive, Peter V’landys AM. “The connections of the horses running in the Country Championships this Saturday are certain to feel the buzz of The Championships once they step onto Royal Randwick.”

Bill North, Sports Editor-Grafton Daily Examiner said: “This newspaper challenge is a great idea. We had a bit of a discussion in the office and we’ll be supporting Little Wings.

“Little Wings is a not-for-profit ongoing flight service to children and their families living in regional and rural NSW to and from specialised treatment at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, The Sydney Children’s Hospital (Randwick) and The John Hunter Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.”

Ben Walker, Sports Editor-Dubbo Daily Liberal said: “A pair of colleagues here at the Liberal, Rob and Amy McIntyre have a sick little boy named Max who contracted bacterial meningitis last February, aged just nine months.

“His medical costs are extreme and life hasn't been easy for Rob and Amy during this time.

“When it appeared as though Max didn't have long to live Rob and Amy had his footprint taken, and that footprint has become somewhat of a symbol of the little man's courage, as well as that of his family.

“They now sell yellow stickers that bear his print as a way of fundraising to help with Max's costs as yellow is his favourite colour.”

"Yellow for Max" is very close to our hearts here at the Daily Liberal and we would dearly love it if either of our horses wins on Saturday.”

QUALIFYING REGION HORSE NEWSPAPER CHARITY

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