When the counting is done and all the totals are known, I think that the 2024 event will be recorded as one of our finest shows.

Parking is always at a premium for major events at our showground, but the public car parks in Hereford Street, combined with a shuttle bus to the showground, must help a lot of very tired feet.

Country shows are a great occasion for families. The kids love all the attractions, while mum and dad feel their wallets get lighter by the minute.

It's great to see lots of crowd support, as a future without our show would be very dull.

AT the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, I note that the supreme champion Merino was a ram from the West Plains Merino Stud at Delegate.

He was sired AI by a top ram from Glenlea Park poll in South Australia's Mallee.

The Winyar stud at Canowindra used some of that bloodline and several producers bred from some of the progeny.

The Glenlea Park sheep are excellent dual purpose animals, stand tall, very straight backline and produce long stapled fleeces that will suit six-monthly shearing.

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

THE Jenkins family at Rydal will present their 14th Annual Violet Hills Charolais bull sale on-property on Thursday, May 2 at 2pm.

There will be 38 poll bulls offered, all bred for early maturity and easy calving, the result of over 50 years of breeding.

Details from Sean Jenkins, 0419 416 197, or Daryl Jenkins, 0428 639 674.

LAST week's rain was widespread, even though it was patchy in some areas.

It has caused a welcome lift in livestock prices, the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator rising 21c to settle on 624c last week and the Trade Lamb Indicator rising 20c to 659c/kg carcase weight.

The run of about 23,000 calves on offer at Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange (CTLX) Carcoar have met good demand and several good falls of rain have added to the demand.

A livestock agent from Bendigo makes some positive comments on the future cattle market trends.

"There is more energy being shown at the processing end with meatworks now actively looking for cattle and that should free up people to trade more easily and build confidence," he said.

"We were very happy with how our cattle sold at Yea, with all the good lines of black steers making over 400c/kg to a top of 426c/kg."

I'M often told of the lack of a capable, reliable livestock contractor in the Bathurst district.

There are still a lot of Merino sheep across the area and the majority of them are wool producers rather than dual purpose animals, so they need a light mules.

It's pretty costly to import a contractor from another district; travel, motel and food charges add up quickly.

There are reports that producers are having a go at the mules job themselves with some disappointing results.

A local contractor who can do all the sheep and cattle jobs who is confident, easy-going, always on time, has good staff and charges fair prices should find lots of work.

My search for a likely candidate would start very close to Tarana village.

SUGGESTIONS have been made of the real value of parents of new babies and growing families having basic first-aid training.

All parents remember the arrival home of their first newborn and the tiny gurgling sounds from a cot at 2am.

For farm families with 10 kays to your nearest neighbour, some first-aid knowledge is of obvious value.

Please talk with your friends and family about this idea as it would be invaluable if one of the littlies is in trouble.

I BELIEVE Mrs Hilary Reedy has celebrated a milestone birthday in Bathurst this week, and her involvement with the former Sunbright Orchard in Kelso is well-remembered.

Mrs Reedy, her late husband Jack, his dad Jim Reedy and family members Ken and Cathy Reedy were icons of the fresh fruit industry in Bathurst for many decades.

Happy birthday Mrs Reedy and many happy returns.

CONGRATULATIONS to Danielle and Beau Riley on the arrival of baby daughter Isabelle Ann on March 27.

She is a little sister for big brother Billy, who must be pleased to have everyone home.

Beau stood for the state seat of Bathurst several years ago and showed a real interest in rural Bathurst.

Good luck with your two little Aussies, Mum and Dad. Bathurst is a great place to raise a family.

GROWERS, buyers and brokers went into week 41 of sales last week with some uncertainty after an initial estimated offering of around 54,000 bales post-Easter.

Despite this large quantity and a lower first day, the market continued to strengthen as the week progressed as indent buyers and mills bought wool to suit their needs.

The week was capped off on Wednesday in Melbourne as the Merino market 17.5-micron and broader lifted up to 20ac clean on the back of sales on Wednesday night and indent buyers still being keen.

The 17.0-micron and finer types are still lacklustre.

Crossbred types were basically unchanged for the week.

At week's end, there were only 50,148 bales offered, of which 92.2 per cent (or 46,457 bales) was sold.

Week 42 has an early offering of just over 46,000 bales.

GEORGE was being assessed for a minor operation and was quite nervous.

The nurse took his hand, settled him down and then said: "Are you quite sure that your will is in order?"

***

THE farmer's wife was dyslexic and was asked about the disorder.

She told a meeting that stress aggravates her condition and she reverses words and letters at times.

"Now I know why you named your daughter Hannah," her lady friend whispered.