Memorial will be named in memory of an association stalwart | Rural Notebook

Committee: John Osborne, Brain Seaman, Michael Inwood, Scott Seaman, Col McPhee, Rob McLeod, Hugh Webb, Peter Moore, Andrew Kelly, Peter Rutherford, Jeff McSpedden and Scott Brown.

Items of interest from the meeting:

CHRIS and Pauline Stapleton's Capree Merino and Kelpie Stud will hold an open day on Sunday, October 15 on-property at Newbridge and will preview the approximately 60 poll Merino rams that will be auctioned at the Capree Annual Sale on Thursday, October 19.

About 14 working dogs will also be auctioned on the same day.

Of particular interest to Merino breeders will be Charinga studmaster Roger Polkinghorne, who will give a presentation on sale day and discuss ram selection, wool production and skin type.

The Charinga/Banavie/Gowandale type from the Marnoo area in Victoria have been at the cutting edge of the skin type revolution since the early 1980s and the change in breeding approach from many studs is now very obvious.

Please circle October 15 for a "don't miss" discussion.

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

THE Ross family, trading as GWS Ross, were awarded the Boehringer Ingelheim Innovators crown at the ACM Agri Lambition prizegiving at the recent Bendigo Sheep Show.

The award judge said that the Ross family showed great initiative in improving animal health in their entry.

"Their Merino Link and Grazing for Drought projects clearly align with Boehringer Ingelheim's global innovation and sustainability strategies," he added.

FOR many years, Alan and Genevieve Croaker conducted the highly regarded "Boonah" Hereford Stud on the banks of the Macquarie River just a few kilometres south of Bathurst city.

Time has rolled on, Alan has passed away and Genevieve now volunteers at St Catherine's Aged Care, organises the flowers at the Catholic Cathedral and is involved in palliative care and with Daffodil Cottage.

Her parents encouraged her to become involved in local groups when she was 17.

Genevieve was Bathurst's Citizen of the Year in 2019, one of the original Living Legends and never looks for a spotlight.

Country people, especially in the Hereford industry, will want to join me in saying thank you for your work, which is greatly appreciated.

ERIC Jolliffe's cartoon books are a gentle reminder of Australia's history and many drawings depict scenes from early white settlement on pastoral holdings where modern amenities were unheard of.

The farmer, his wife and the kids battled on without electricity, running water, motor vehicles or telephones and developed their farms as the basis for the rural Australia that we know today.

Jolliffe's books date back to the 1940s and 50s and he comments that there were no beasts of burden in Australia until the white settlers opened up the country.

Europeans brought horses, goats and cattle and Afghans brought camels.

The working animals have been tremendous helpers as early roads were built, coaches were pulled, and produce and commerce equipment were hauled across our vast, dry continent.

FROM Bendigo Sheep Show comes the news that the second highest price of $16,000 was paid for a Merino ram from the renowned Nerstane Stud at Woolbrook, NSW.

The young ram was bought by Terry and Kath Dolbel, "Milton Vale", Rockley and will be used in their much awarded Merino flock.

THE 2023 NSW Farmers Conference wound up last week and Orange Branch stalwarts Graham and Annette Brown were recognised for their 50 years of participation at annual conference.

When asked for his thoughts on the lowest point of all those years, Graham did not hesitate to say the OJD debate that he recalls having lost many members of the association.

Graham and the late Graeme Blatch attended every Bathurst meeting during those years and tried to hear both sides of the issue.

To look back 30 years it's hard to believe that our district authorities did not know the prevalence of disease that had been in the district for decades.

The importation of a vaccine solved the problem and caught us up with New Zealand producers.

THE young hubby and his mother-in-law did not get along.

After her daughter's ultrasound, she asked if it was two boys and was told "no".

So she guessed "two girls" and was again told "no".

She fumed and said: "Well, what then?"

***

GEORGE told his doctor that he thought his bride of 50 years was going deaf, so he tried her at dinner time.

"What's for dinner, love?" he asked from five metres away.

He got no answer, so moved closed and asked again, but still no answer.

This continued until he was really close and clearly asked: "What's for dinner, love?"

"For the fourth time, bloody chicken," she said.

SONG for the week: The Green, Green Grass of Home - Elvis Presley.