Meanwhile, we wear our masks to indoor venues and it's a good feeling to walk into a bank while wearing a mask and not be subdued.

Changes may be made to future events but common-sense should ensure that smaller outdoor activities can be arranged.

Open days at sheep studs are already planned and they are the lead-up to on-property and online auctions.

Agents and vendors conducted lots of successful auctions last year and they must be confident of their ability to repeat the operations again.

MOST primary producers are content to simply get on with the job and enjoy the ongoing good seasons that are letting a lot of businesses get back into a sound position.

Restocker markets are sky high and so is confidence, but away in the distance we hear agitated voices warning of serious changes to climate with ongoing periods of severe drought and a real shortage of surface water.

The serious farmers are steadily rebuilding their livestock herds and growing some of the best crops of their lifetime.

We know that we live in a very dry continent, but would any of us want to live in any other country?

ONE of country Bathurst's favourite sons died in Sydney recently.

Ray Willott is remembered as a general carrier of livestock, wool and general freight; he was always in a good mood and regarded as Mister Reliable.

He was a stalwart of Bathurst Lions Club and Golf Club.

HELEN and Wally Dean are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in Bathurst this week.

I'm sure that their many friends across the district join with me to congratulate them and wish them many more anniversaries.

RAY White Emms Mooney conducted the successful auction of the broadacre property "Avila", Sallys Flat last Friday.

COVID restrictions and telephone problems changed the flow of the sale, but the professional approach of the selling agents ensured a successful outcome.

My Seaman grandparents owned and operated Avila for many years, but it passed to other hands in the 1990s.

The sale established the $1000 per acre value of River Hills country in the Central Tablelands.

A real eye-opener is that rates on the property to Bathurst Regional Council are $1660 and Local Land Services rates are $1200.

Which entity gives the better value?

ANNA and Scott Brien advise that coming events for their Bella Lana Stud include:

WHEN we look at Australian Sheep Breeding Values and take note of early maturity, muscling and fat values, we must also go straight to feed conversion ratios and pasture quality that are needed to complement the carcase traits.

Mention is often made of the much lower weaning weights of young animals that have been raised on native and unfertilised country.

It may be false economy to spend a lot of money on carcase ASBVs and expect to achieve great results on red grass and corkscrew paddocks in a tablelands winter.

The best economic results may lie in the centre of this equation as a hefty rise in finewool values of almost one third has changed the swing of the pendulum once again.

As always, enjoy your way of running your business and keep doing it as well as you possibly can.

WE all like to see an animal that has a never-say-die attitude and a thoroughbred that was born and bred in Ireland certainly has that quality.

Sweet Thomas is a 10-year-old gelding, a pony-sized 15 hands, and weighs just 420kg when race fit.

The little bloke lumped 60kg to win last week's Stayers Cup over 3200 metres at Randwick and he won the same marathon race in 2020.

I think he should be nominated for a horse's medal.

A quote for the week from a horse trainer: "Those who know don't talk, and those who talk don't know."

DISCUSSION on the value of commercial herd bulls has recently raised a few interesting points:

THE last sale of the Australian 2020/21 season saw prices ease by three per cent.

This easing was on the back of large increases in bales to be offered in the first two sales of the 2021/22 selling season.

Shipping continues to be an issue, with the lack of containers and shipping space affecting the ability of exporters to ship wool quickly and discount their documents and get paid and, thus, to revolve their cash flow.

In general, the fleece wool indicators eased by up to 70 cents a kilogram, with the better style, low vegetable matter wools being least affected.

Skirting types eased up to 50 cents a kilogram and crossbreds were up to 10 cents a kilogram cheaper.

There were very high passed-in rates in all selling centres.

Australia-wide, there was over a 20 per cent passed-in rate overall.

In week one of the new season, there is an estimated offering of 55,000 bales selling in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle.

Reports late last week of some inquiry and some buying activity are promising.

GEORGE and his wife stopped in a little county town and asked a lady which local cafe she would recommend.

She replied: "Whichever one you choose, you'll wish you'd gone to the other."

***

THE lady chipped the waitress: "And please bring me a clean glass; last week I got a filthy, dirty one here."

When the lass returned with two glasses, she politely asked: "And who asked for the clean glass please?"

***

WHEN God first made the Commandments, He offered "Thou shalt not kill" to the Germans and was told no thanks.

"Thou shalt not commit adultery"; again, no thanks.

He asked two Jewish sheep peasants if they wanted a commandment and was asked "how much?".

God told them the Commandments are free and they said: "OK, boss, we'll take two."