Tomorrow brings an open day at "Ferndale", Newbridge to showcase the A1 progeny of 16 stud rams of widely differing breeding aims.

These progeny represent 16 studs that nominated one of their rams for involvement in the Australian Wool Innovation trial and the 2021-drop results will be on show at a hands-on afternoon.

Visitors are asked to Google "AWI Sire Evaluation Bathurst" to register or phone 0409 288 554.

It will be a 12.30pm start and a 5pm finish.

THIS Saturday brings the Bathurst Merino Association (BMA) Annual Ram Expo at Bathurst Showground from 10am to 3pm.

This is usually a quiet, friendly few hours with a display of some good quality rams and a Super Six Ewe Competition for commercial ewes.

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

A RESPITE from sheep for a week and then Burraga Sheep Show and Country Fair will be held on Saturday, August 20.

Judging will commence at 9.30am and it will be followed by the official opening at 2pm.

The show will be opened by Julie Marshall, who lived in Burraga in the late 1950s when both of her parents taught at the two-teacher local school.

They were Mr and Mrs Wilkinson, who are well remembered by former students.

Blink Bonnie Merino studmaster Peter Moore will judge the sheep events.

I must congratulate the members of the Burraga Ag Bureau on the presentation of an excellent colour brochure for their 61st Annual Sheep Show with lots of advertising and thank yous to the many friends who contribute to a friendly country event.

REGULAR rainfalls are continuing well into a third season and care must be taken when traversing waterlogged paddocks.

Four-wheeled ATVs and side-by-sides are saving many kays of walking for farm workers across the state and we are seeing great photos of floods from wide areas, including the washed-out Louth Races.

Spraying contractors must be booked now as they could have serious backloads of jobs during spring with saturated paddocks to work on.

COMMUNITY members from across the tablelands will join me in bidding farewell to long-term Bathurst district couple Lyn and Bill Berry.

They operated tyre services in Bathurst, Oberon and Lithgow for many years before purchasing the Sunnyside orchard at Perthville from Alan and Margaret Hollis.

They formed the Panorama Coaches business that took travellers to many towns and cities and made many friends.

Bill and Lyn have sold their Bathurst interests and will leave our district within weeks.

I know their many friends join with me in wishing the Berrys good health and much happiness in their future.

FOLLOWING two decades at the coalface with Rabobank in the Central West, well-known Bathurst resident Paul Morrison is retiring and will be greatly missed by the country community.

He helped to arrange valued sponsorship to a succession of BMA events and his personal friendships should continue for many years.

Thank you, Paul, and please stay in touch with your country friends.

FOUR young Perthville people have had instant success with their pacing mare Millie The Fillie, who won first up for their team.

Trained and driven by Phoebe Betts, the mare won by a good margin at Parkes and the owners, Misses Isabella and Zara James, and their parents Kathryn and Blake were proud winners and are hoping for more success.

MOVIE-GOERS who enjoy a good story and lovely scenery will probably love Where The Crawdads Sing at Bathurst Metro.

Avid book readers should enjoy Margaret Cunneen's story by Andrew L Urban, The Boxing Butterfly, that outlines many recent trials where Margaret was Madam Crown for the Prosecution.

A chapter on her battle with NSW ICAC is a highlight that she won "by a knockout".

SHE got into the new Mazda and said: "Oh, I'm so nervous I may not know what to do."

"Easy," Dad said, "just imagine I'm driving."

***

A FEW signs: