MOREE sporting elder statesman Ron Clissold was named winner of the 2026 Moree Plains Shire Mayoral Award at the Jellicoe Park Australia Day awards ceremony on Monday.
Mr Clissold, a true icon of the Moree community, is well-known on and off the sporting field.
In recent years, he established Ronny’s Runners, a training group dedicated to junior athletes from across the district.
Moree Plains Shire deputy mayor, Wayne Tighe, said Mr Clissold has been involved in sports his entire life, chiefly athletics and marathon running.
“For many years, Ron was a familiar and inspiring sight, running the streets of Moree and quietly demonstrating his lifelong commitment to fitness and perseverance,” Cr Tighe said.
Mr Clissold was humbled to be recognised at the Australia Day Awards.
“It’s an honour,” Mr Clissold said.
“We do what we do for our own enjoyment; we don’t do it for awards, but when they come along, it’s great . . . I’m very proud.”
Ronny’s Runners is getting stronger each year, with numbers always around the 20-mark.
“We’ll continue doing the same thing this year, and hopefully we can achieve more with the kids,” Mr Clissold said.
“I had about 24 kids running but lost four or five who went away to school. Hopefully, we’ll get more this year.
“I don’t go looking for them; they come to me, which is good – it means they want to do it,” he said.
Moree Plains Mayoral Award recipient Ronny Clissold and Moree Young Sports Person of the Year Bella Boland at the Jellicoe Park Australia Day awards ceremony on Monday.
Mr Clissold was also instrumental in helping establish Moree Parkrun, which picked up the Community Group of the Year Award on Monday.
“Ron still participates regularly, completing the five-kilometre course each week, leading by example,” Cr Tighe said.
“Beyond his own achievements, Ron continues to give back by training junior athletes, with his Ronny’s Runners group.
“His guidance and training programs have helped develop numerous talented young athletes, many of whom have gone on to achieve great success,” he said.
One of Ronny’s proteges, Bella Boland, was named Junior Sports Person of the Year at the Australia Day Awards ceremony.
Cr Tighe described Mr Clissold as a quiet achiever – the epitome of a champion.
“Ron’s dedication, humility and passion for sport make him a wonderful ambassador for Moree, and a thoroughly deserving recipient of the Mayoral Award for 20226,” he said.
Nine Moree Plains Shire residents also became Australian citizens, including Hannah Berghan and David and William Dyer from the United Kingdom, Ekta, Rajesh and Aradhya Joshi from India, Cam Nguyen from Vietnam, Britta Radivojevic from Estonia and Ines Wegner from Germany.
The awards ceremony was also attended by Moree Plains Australia Day ambassador, Bruno Efoti, who spoke passionately about Tradies in Sight, a not-for-profit mental health and wellbeing organisation he founded in Dubbo nearly eight years ago.
Lions International Melville Jones Fellowship awards were also presented to Steve Long, Brett Farlow, Col Arthur and John Appley for their combined 108 years of service to Moree Lions Club.
2026 Moree Plains Shire Australia Day award winners
Mayoral Award: Ronny Clissold
Citizen of the Year: Todd Mitchell
Young Citizen of the Year: Corey Scriven
Volunteer of the Year: Michael McNamara
Sports Person of the Year: Gabrielle Suckling
Young Sports Person of the Year: Isabella Boland
Community Event of the Year: The Sound of Music
Community Volunteer Group of the Year: Moree Parkrun
Moree Online News will over the next few days have more stories about all award recipients, Moree Lions Club award winners, Moree’s newest citizens and Australia Day ambassador, Bruno Efoti.
