BAROSSA, Light & Gawler Umpires Association president Adam Hennessy chalked up his 500th game on Anzac Day, when he officiated the Tanunda versus Barossa District B-grade match.

Hennessy, who has umpired for 20 years, has been a boundary umpire in four A-grade grand finals, and a field umpire in one under 17 grand final.

On top of that, he has also umpired in representative matches and association games, but said the latest milestone is one of his biggest highlights.

“It’s probably an achievement I didn’t see coming really,” Hennessy said.

“I do, generally, two games a week, which always bumps the number up, and if you do that for a whole year, that’s 36 straight up.

“It’s quite a good milestone, this is my 20th season, and 500 games in 20 years is quite a bit.”

Hennessy’s journey with the whistle began two decades ago as a boundary umpire at a Gawler Central game.

“I had no idea what I was doing, I was just thrown into it, I was supposed to be doing the modified and little league games,” he said.

“I did it, thought it was okay, and did a moddies game the next week and continued from there.”

Umpires are often heckled by supporters at all levels of sport, and Hennessy admitted the main hurdle he had to get over was not taking the attacks personally.

“You do learn that, when you come off the field and someone who has given you a spray on the oval then buys you a beer afterwards, and asks how you’re going,” he said.

“That’s a big learning curve.

“I started when I was 14, so learning that was great.”

Hennessy has since served on the BL&GUA committee in a number of roles, and most recently was elected as president two years ago.

“We have some fantastic, talented guys like Adam Colbourne, Rob Polito, Sarah Jameson, and Tristan Williamson,” he said.

“We also have a lot of young and new guys who are showing a lot of promise.”