BATHURST is in the middle of what is a rare fortnight for any regional centre.
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Within the space of 15 days, this city of 45,000 people will have played host to one of the state's premier cycling events, attracting thousands of riders and fans across the two days of the Bathurst Cycling Classic; will have hosted the nine-day Gold Crown Carnival, recognised as the premier harness racing event of its kind in the state; have hosted a Super W women's rugby clash between the NSW Waratahs and Melbourne rebels; and have played host to a National Rugby League clash featuring the Melbourne Storm and (almost) hometown heroes the Penrith Panthers.
Two weeks, four elite level sporting events. It's an impressive record.
What this current fortnight also shows is the value of building on the past while also looking for new opportunities.
The Gold Crown Carnival has been running for more than 30 years in a sport that does not have widespread appeal among mainstream sports fans.
But harness racing holds a special place in the history of Bathurst and our region has produced some of the sport's biggest names.
So it is only appropriate that the city has the rights to host a major harness racing event each year, one that builds on Bathurst's reputation as a centre of harness racing excellence and one that is developing a proud history of its own.
At the other end of the spectrum are events like the NRL match and Bathurst Cycling Classic, events fostered by a forward-thinking city that is always looking for new opportunities.
Bathurst Regional Council's long-term deal with the Penrith Panthers is now being emulated by other cities and other NRL clubs, but it remains the standard against which others will be judged.
There had long been talk in league circles that more should be done to support the game in the bush, but it took Penrith and Bathurst to show it could really work.
And when the Blayney 2 Bathurst started as a project for a local service group, few could have imagined just how big it would quickly become.
But it's now a qualifier for the UCI Gran Fondo series with riders coming from across NSW - and interstate - to take part.
It all adds up to a mouth-watering smorgasbord of choice for all sports lovers, and it's right here in Bathurst.
Why would you ever leave?