Approximately 60 young rams and 10 working dogs will be auctioned, with dog demos from 10am.

When we Google "Capree Merino Stud Newbridge" and follow the links, the videos and details of working dogs on offer can be viewed.

The rams on offer are rich in Banavie/Charinga blood that is widely sought in the modern sheep industry.

Sale contacts are Chris Stapleton, 0429 797 633, or Jason Pearce, Elders Mudgee, 0438 144 702.

BATHURST stalwart Merv Tobin is celebrating a milestone birthday as he remembers his years at Sofala, as a mechanic in central Bathurst, a councillor at Turon/Evans Shire and his long involvement with Toastmasters.

Happy birthday Merv; there are a lot of 1941 models in Bathurst that aren't running but still strolling.

LAST WEEK'S RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMN: Kildara Glen's open day is coming soon

THE very long list of Bathurst residents and businesses that have signed their support for a proposed private hospital in the CBD certainly deserve to be congratulated.

A two-page spread in the Weekend Advocate should be just the start of an outpouring of support for this project that will bring much change to our city.

It would be great to see our city's culture be seen as that of a progressive, modern place that recognises change when change is needed.

I hope no stone axes are found on the site before building begins.

LATE September in a once-in-decades spring is a great time to stop and admire the blossoms, the green of Ireland and the sounds of all the birds that have returned with fresh waters and fat insects.

I haven't turned into a loony Greenie but we all appreciate the change after a lot of bobtail springs that turned dusty by early October.

Steve Turnbull commented on the seagulls at The Lagoon and they can also be seen splashing in lying water on flats along the Vale Road near Perthville village.

CONGRATULATIONS to Melva and Ted Green who are celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary in Bathurst.

Our town has changed a bit since 1956, but this couple have given a great example to their family and friends.

Well done kids and good luck for the future.

WOULD your banker lend you $3.5 million to buy some steep, rocky country that might carry 200 cows and followers, many kays from a large town?

A nice weatherboard house and sound improvements plus a severe infestation of Scotch Thistle, $500,000 for the dry cows and a new farmer is in business.

This is a real farm that friends inspected recently and is an indication of current values.

An ancestor once told me to "only buy a farm that will keep you, not one that you have to keep".

THIS week's report of Menindee Lakes on the Darling River is a reminder that droughts don't last forever and that prophets of doom should be taken with a grain of salt in our sunburnt country.

Our early explorers expected to find an inland sea and Lake Eyre and Menindee Lakes would have fitted the bill in a lush season and looked like a desert in drought times.

WHILE the first day of week 11 showed a 20 to 30ac loss over most merino types, by the end of the week, we saw a basically unchanged market, as prices rose again on the second day.

There was an offering of 33,000 bales and a passed-in rate of 13 per cent and 28,639 bales sold over the week.

We have moved from an EMI (Eastern Market Indicator) of 1335ac/kg early in August to a present EMI of 1352ac/kg.

This, however, has been achieved with some market unpredictability and this may continue.

Growing demand from India and Europe is causing this volatility, while demand from China remains subdued to what we saw at the end of the 2020/21 season.

As most European orders are VM1.0pc average, the larger than normal discounts that we saw for higher VM early in the season have closed somewhat to allow Chinese and Indian interests to get what wool they need.

Unfortunately, the crossbred market was once again weaker.

There seems to be further difficult times ahead for this part of the market.

Week 12 sees an offering of 37,109 bales selling in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle.

GEORGE had taken an outspoken widow to an upmarket restaurant, but when the soup came, she called: "Waiter, come quickly and remove this insect." The waiter ran and threw George down the stairs.

***

A DRUMMER in a band was asked why an ageing drummer would put up with his young wife's straying habits.

He replied: "I'm much better off with a 20 per cent interest in a going concern than 100 per cent in a bankruptcy."

***

THE train conductor told mum that her five-year-old lad would pay full fare.

"How could he be five? I've only been married three years," she said.

"Look, lady," the tough old conductor said, "I'm collecting fares, not confessions."