Related: Australia Day award winners | PHOTOS
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Exciting young hockey player Kurt Lovett was announced as the 2014 Sportsperson of the Year at the Australia Day ceremony at Cooke Park on Monday.
Kurt enjoyed a very successful 2014 in which he represented Australia and NSW.
He toured Vanuatu with the Australian Youth Olympic team and South Africa with the Australian Combined Catholic Colleges team.
Locally, Kurt was a key member of the Parkes United team which finished third in the Western Premier League.
He was also a member of the A grade premiership winning Magpies team.
Even with these accolades, Kurt was still humbled by his Australia Day award.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be recognised with this great award,” Kurt said.
“The quality of the finalists was unbelievable and it is great to be named the winner.
“I am leaving to further my hockey career in Sydney this week and winning the award was an excellent way to finish my hockey in Parkes and start my new adventure in Sydney,” he said.
Kurt is leaving to join Sydney club Gordon in the Sydney Premier League competition and will live in Rhodes.
He has Under 18 NSW trials this weekend.
While Kurt took out the major award, Billy Burns showed it will not be long before he is challenging for top honours after he was announced as Junior Sportsperson of the Year.
Billy enjoyed a stellar year of rugby league, dominating all before him.
Named Player of the Grand Final for the Lachlan Under 16 competition, Billy led Parkes to a convincing victory and a premiership.
He travelled to Queensland in June to represent the NSW Under 16 Country team in matches against Samoa and Queensland Country.
He was picked in the side after stand-out performances for the Western Rams Under 16s team in the Country Rugby League Championships.
Billy is a member of the Newcastle Knights Development squad and is also a member of the Country Rugby League Western Academy squad.
Not only excelling in rugby league, Billy also represented NSW Combined Catholic Colleges in the National Youth School Touch Football Championships where they finished a very credible third.
Billy and fellow Parkes star Jesse Parker were the only two players from outside Sydney to gain selection in the team.
Parkes Public School boys hockey
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team was named Team of the Year after claiming the NSW Public School Sports Association title.
Coached by Glen Johnstone, the Parkes Public School side swept all before them in a great display.
Maureen Massey was a popular selection for Senior Sportsperson of the Year after an outstanding 12 months of Masters hockey.
Maureen represented Australia at the World Cup in Holland and was selected for the upcoming Trans-Tasman championships against New Zealand.
She has become a fixture in the New South Wales team and excels in the local competition.
Referee, Umpire or Official of the Year was awarded to Amanda Draper for her outstanding officiating of touch football.
Amanda gets through a mountain of umpiring in local competitions and is now a regular official of State Cups.
Horse racing trainer George Wright was named Coach, Trainer or Manager of the Year after an excellent year.
George was named Central West Country Racing Associations Picnic Races Trainer of the Year for his efforts in 2014.
Laurie Wakefield and Graham Thompson were named Administrators of the Year for 2014.
The pair have done a fantastic job of nurturing local hockey and thoroughly deserve their award.
The prestigious Long Service and Dedication award went to long-time rugby league referee John Francis.
Francis surpassed 600 Group 11 appointments in 2014 before retiring at the conclusion of the season.
He has been an exemplary official for more than 45 years.
As well as the Sports Awards, the Ron Harrison Sports Bursary recipients for 2014 were announced.
They included Kacey Nightingale (Squash), Matthew Job (Hockey) and Matthew Aston-Brien (Swimming).
The Bursary is awarded to talented junior athletes to help promote their sporting careers.