Canberra - A one-armed teenage woodchopper won his battle to compete in the Australian state of Queensland yesterday after a last minute backdown by agricultural show officials. Organisers of the Brisbane Exhibition initially banned Nick Fredriksen (15), from competing, worried he might accidentally let go of the axe and hurt somebody.
After complaints, officials said the teenager could compete but away from the main arena. But after his family hired lawyers, citing discrimination, officials from the organiser, the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association, agreed to let the teenager compete after a safety fence was installed around the arena.