Orange Eight Day Games will run in November

It was the first time the competition hadn't gone ahead in 43 years, leaving secretary Jason Lyne wondering when it would return to the region.

Well, 10 months after that disappointing news, Lyne is stoked to confirm that the Eight Day Games will make a return to Orange this spring as it's set to run between November 20-27.

"We had the Annual General Meeting a couple of weeks ago and got our committee up and running," Lyne said.

"We had to touch base with a few of our stakeholders but it's been very positive and everyone's willing to have us back so we'll get back up and running.

"The world seems to change every hour, so we won't get too far ahead of ourselves, but so far, so good."

Lyne admits the structure of the event will be largely the same to previous years, but understands it could change at any moment.

"Everything will be subject to government guidelines but it's going to look very similar," he said.

While it's far from a conventional sports event, Lyne believe it's invaluable to the Orange events calendar, for more reasons than one.

"It's just a great week of the year and the feedback's always been so good," he said.

"It's one of the most unique events in the country and there's lifelong friends made. It's just like a big family. We've always got our core group of competitors and we expect them to return this year.

"It's an opportunity to come and do things you'd never otherwise do in your life."

Karting, archery and target shooting are just a few of the one-of-a-kind activities entrants can engage in throughout the week.

"You get to meet new people, it's a great atmosphere and a great vibe," he said.

As for prospective entrants, Lyne assures those people that there aren't any athletic requirements.

"I've been doing it for nearly 30 years now and I'm not the most agile athlete," he laughed.

"But everyone loves the people and we love the camaraderie. A few of the guys have only been around for a couple of years and they're like it more and more each time."

At the end of the week, we have a presentation and celebrate the highlights and the laughs.

Anyone wishing to find more information about the returning event may do so on the Orange Eight Day Games Facebook page. Alternatively, Lyne encourages anyone to contact him personally.

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