Teams will be drawn from an area to the east of Bathurst City, O'Connell, Rydal, Sodwalls etc.

Hugh Webb and Rob McLeod are organising team entries.

Day tickets for bus and lunch are $30 and $60 includes bus, lunch and dinner at Bathurst Harness Racing Club.

Bookings to Rob McLeod or Warwick Larnach on 6337 9335.

OTHER RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

Mud, dust, bushfires, price rises and prayers

Baker will give some ideas to chew over

Fires make for a tough start to 2020

BATHURST branch of NSW Farmers held a discussion night that clashed with Sir Elton John's concert and this must have affected the attendance.

Professor Robert Baker presented some of his research work on the relevance of predicting Australian droughts and his findings give cause for serious consideration.

If we Google "Robert G. V. Baker U.N.E" we will read many of the scientific papers that he has presented over the years.

CONFIDENCE is slowly returning to livestock industries as useful storm rain has given some paddocks a change of colour and put a spring in the step of owners and their animals.

Diesel smoke can be seen at all hours as paddocks are being prepared to sow fodder crops.

Weather forecasters have made serious mistakes with nearly every change with a "rain bomb" forecast bringing just 5-10mm to most areas and the dust storms to others.

Among these failures we find that towns have recorded close to 100mm over 10 days and they mention Climate Ex Change.

AUSTRALIA Day at the Metro village store and servo in Perthville was a great success with a crowd that kept rolling in.

An amount of around $2000 was raised and given straight to the local RFS.

We raise our collective hats to Shiva, Sri, Ramu and their families for giving Perthville a real Australia Day celebration and providing a hand up to our local fire heroes.

THE NSW Government is subsidising skills training for farmers and regional businesses impacted by drought to support of farm income and diversify business practices.

Some of the training courses are heavy vehicle, forklift, confined spaces, auto electrics, drone operations, business management, excavator, WHS practices and a number of other courses.

Information details on 13 28 11, Rural Assistance Authority or from Paul Toole's Bathurst office.

This initiative could provide qualifications to eligible people so that they have an option to work in a field that is removed from agriculture and its associated businesses. This scheme is well worth a look.

THE waiving of Local Land Services rates is being extended for another year as a drought assistance measure from the NSW Government.

This is more than just a token gesture from the state as it amounts to a significant business expense in every case.

LLS staff have given sympathetic assistance to their ratepayers for the duration of the current drought and in most cases the friendship from LLS staff is greatly appreciated.

Life on the land has been very lonely for many people and the work of the LLS staff doesn't go unnoticed.

Thank you for being in the lives of a lot of worried families.

MOBILE microchipping of dogs and cats is a service that can save owners of pets and working dogs the time and added expense of taking their animals to a town veterinary practice.

Jess and Deb Seaman have operated their service for some years and travel widely across the Blayney, Parkes, Lithgow, Bathurst to Coonabarabran areas to provide a very cost effective service.

Details from Jess 0458 366503 or Deb 0428 377107.

WE all know that Bathurst's Elton John concert was a great success and ran like clockwork.

Our council and the concert organisers should be proud of the event and local roads and streets weren't clogged with cars, parking being available at walking distances to the venue.

Lots of towns and medium size cities would love to have attracted the Elton John concert and follow it with this weekend's Liqui Moly 12 Hour car race that now has world class status.

THE wool market trended down this week with the Northern Market Indicator finishing the week on 1617c/kg, down 61c/kg as the market was tested by a big offering of around 60,00 bales.

The wools that were most affected by the downturn were the type 5 and 6 merino wools from out west with low strengths and low yields.

Fine wools with good yield and strengths experienced strong competition from Chinese and the Italian buyers.

The elephant in the room is now the outbreak of the coronavirus and if it continues to spread it could have some damaging effects on the market in coming weeks.

Buyers and exporters are already speculating on what impact it might have if it escalates.

Next week will see 40,680 bales on offer nationwide.

Mark Horsburgh, TWG Landmark

GEORGE rushed into the mechanic's workshop with white smoke billowing from under the car's bonnet.

The mechanic had a quick look and said: "Either your starter motor has seized or they've elected a new pope."

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IF you notice a young bloke opening the car door for a young lady, you know that either the car or the young lady is new.

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THEIR next door neighbour had a heart pacemaker fitted and every time the neighbour squeezed his wife, their garage door opened.