The Gift has been raced every year since 1878, except for four years during the Second World War, and in 2020 due to the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Blizzard recommitted to his role as Stawell Athletic Club president at its recent annual general meeting.

The committee had previously appointed presidents for one year, but due to the Stawell Gift being cancelled in 2020, Mr Blizzard was re-elected into the position.

In 2020 it was also announced a new governing body was formed to protect Stawell Gift's future. Mr Blizzard also sits on this committee on behalf of the Stawell Athletic Club.

Despite having the year off, Mr Blizzard said the pandemic, and the restrictions which come with it, had made the year of planning just that bit harder.

"We're right on schedule," Mr Blizzard said in the week before the event.

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"There is a day where everything is done and it's spot on. It's not until Thursday when it really ramps up and starts.

"That's when we get the ground and the line marking, ropes - everything that's out there is us. That's when it's all hands on deck.

"COVID-19 has thrown a real curvy one this year. As we've moved on things have changed to what the covid plan would be. But to zone things we've got to be very careful and make sure we've got everything for everyone in all zones."

Mr Blizzard said he believed ticket sales had been going well but people should get in quickly.

"There are caps but the tickets have to be bought online," he said.

"There will be someone at the gate helping those who can't purchase the tickets online."

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Mr Blizzard said the biggest challenge of preparing for the 2021 Gift was the 'not knowing'.

"Things have changed dramatically in the past four, six, seven weeks," he said.

"We have people ringing up asking if they can do certain things and we just don't know.

"It wasn't until about eight weeks ago we knew for certain a Stawell Gift would be run.

"We're in a really unusual time in our life at the moment. It's about waiting for the next direction. You need to have one thing ticked off before you can move to the next.

"This club works like a really well-oiled wheel. By the first meeting next month we'll already be planning for the next Gift. The members are really good at adapting but just the not knowing has made it harder this year."

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