The show boasts a program that should please everyone and highlights could be:

There is solid sponsorship for wool sections with Bryton Wool providing $500 worth to the winner of Australia’s champion fleece.

Fleece entries to be left at Watson Tractors, Sid Newham’s, Landmark and Elders by 3pm on Thursday, October 12.

RYDAL Show Society Youth Council will present its sporting gymkhana on Sunday, October 29. 

There will be lots of novelty events, competitors age groups from led to open, plus stockmans, ironman and farmers challenges. Details on 6337 5131 or rydalgymkhana00@gmail.com.

WORD of mouth is spreading the word on the Johnes Beef Assurance Scheme and NSW Farmers have supported Local Land Services staff to hold short workshops to assist producers who have been confused by the proposals.

Media reports from South Australian and Victorian JBas meetings tell of some disgusted producers walking out of meetings.

Producers in our Tablelands have been perplexed by the issue but most agree that the matter won’t go away and they are grateful to workshop organisers for their explanation of JBas.

Private stock and station agents are also a commonsense source of practical advice for their clients.

BATHURST Merino Association has issued a final call for bookings and payment for the organisation’s coach trip to the Melbourne Cup.

Overnight stops are planned at Albury and Seymour.

The tour leaves Bathurst on November 5 and returns on November 8.

Final bookings are now essential and contact is gwross2@gmail.com.

REPORTS in last weekend’s media portray a worrying lack of rainfall across much of NSW and Queensland.

Frost damage to canola crops may be severe and many cereal grain farmers have already made decisions that they dislike.

On a recent visit to Walgett we noted the incidence of many failed crops and hardly saw a merino sheep from Dunedoo onwards.

The two mobs of store cattle that are grazing on stock routes are a sign of seriously dry times.

These mobs are probably 400 and 200 and are cows that are battling to rear young calves.

Every conversation these days involves the lack of rain and our district will benefit greatly when the hoped-for spring downpour arrives at the end of September.

ON-PROPERTY sales of breeding sires still dominate rural news reports and excellent results have come from Yarrawonga, Roseville Park, Wallaloo Park, Charinga and Moorundie, that are each selling top genetics to other studs.

Traditional fine and superfine breeders in the Tablelands still source their requirements from established studs and some make their selections from New England entities.

Kerin Poll has made a fast rise and has many clients across the Central Slopes and North West.

Our district is now predominantly a cattle and prime lamb breeding area and the merino flocks that have remained are mainly top quality operations.

A FAIR bit of confidence has returned to the sheep and wool industry with quite a few good local fleece lines breaking the 1550 cent price line and good fine wool clips averaging $2000 to $2500 per bale.

Reports tell of a number of young farmers wanting to “get into wool” and a local agent has some pertinent observations:

The under 40 generation didn’t see the 24 per cent interest rates.

Nor did they see the $20 sucker lambs, $30 vealers or $1 government subsidy to shoot and bury sheep;

Many of them, however, saw families almost destroyed by the OJD mishandling and saw the effects of a decade of drought.

So it’s great to see a number of young people who are getting involved in the sheep and wool industry and prospects are bright as long as the rain gods become active again.

THE wool market took a backward step this week with all wool categories losing ground.

All merino microns lost between 50 and 60/ckg while the crossbreds lost around 30c/kg.

The northern market indicator finished the week on 1590c/kg, down 38c/kg.

The talk coming from buyers is that some mills are starting to baulk at any further rises and that this may be the level for a while.

The Nanjing wool conference is being held this week in China and the news out of it will give us a good indication of where the market is headed.

Next week’s sales will see 43,077 bales on offer nationwide and the market could be a little softer again.

Mark Horsburgh, TWG Landmark

THE little village was hosting a first aid course and the discussion came to torniquets.

“Of course, you all know what a corpuscle is,” the instructor said.

The chairman added: “Most of us do, miss, but you’d best explain it for the sake of those who have never been in one.”