It was decided that we would play it over more ends next time after most players agreed it was a great concept but didn't go for long enough.

With all players being graded on their handicap and therefore playing someone around their own level and it turned out a very even contest and was split into two divisions to give everyone a chance to win.

After 21 ends there were six two game winners, one, one win and one draw and two rinks had one win each.

Division 1 Winner was Mark Francis and runner up was Les Carpenter.

Division 2 winner was Marcus Strudwick and Runner up was Colin Hornery.

Congratulations to Mark who is a relatively new bowler and to Col who is one of the Old Men of the club (keep going Col you still have a year or two in you yet).

Events coming up ,tomorrow will be the Presentation Day the day commences at 1pm with bowls followed by the 2017 Champions awards.

All recipients are asked to come along as well as all other bowlers. Nominations for District No 4s and No 3s will close on January 21 and February 7 respectively.

A sheet is on the board.Also coming up will be Australian Day Mini Carnival on January 27 this will be sponsored event which will be announced in the next couple of weeks.

Wednesday winners Col Boehm, Steve Clegg and Rob Clegg. 

Runners up Col Hornery and Greg Huggins.

With the Elvis Festival fast approaching which is a very busy five days for the club the board is asking for volunteers leading up and for the Festival a sheet will be on the board.

Social side Friday Night Raffles which include Christmas Hams and Meat Trays plus much more Jackpot Jocker and badge draw.

Thirty-three starts, no wins, no seconds and, look away now, no third-place finishes either.

To say Ophaeo Rose is currently the worst horse still looking to break her maiden anywhere in NSW is probably the definition of harsh but fair.

To his credit, it’s not a tag Rylstone trainer Greg Hook is shirking either, but he says his six-year-old stayer isn’t quite as bad as her ghastly record, or benchmark, suggests.

“The whole trouble with racing where I am is there’s no long distance races. She’s a 2200-metre horse,” Hook said.

“She’s been going to Cessnock, Newcastle, Scone and she’s up against stiff competition but she’s getting a run.

“The other side of it is, when a 2000m race pops up here, in our area, she’ll be nominated but probably balloted out of it because 30 other horses are in the same boat.

“There’s just not the races for her here. We’ll keep giving her a run though, she’s growing in confidence.”

And, remarkably, so too is Hook.

Starting at $151 in her last race on Muswellbrook Gold Cup day, Ophaeo Rose ran eighth in a hot field that included up-and-coming mile runner Coonawarra from the Gai Waterhouse stable.

Coonawarra blitzed the field that day to win four lengths.

No one, including Hook at Ophaeo Rose, stood a chance, but that race was also over 1700m.

For a better glimpse into Ophaeo Rose’s promise, Hook says you have to look at the genuine distance races – those 2000m and further.

There you’ll find a glimmer of hope – the same glimmer Hook sees regularly.

Perhaps the mare’s best effort came at Beaumont Newcastle in September this year, Hook’s charger running fourth by a length in a bunch finish over 2100m.

“It was like she’d won that day,” he laughed.

“She’s run a couple of fourths. A lot of it is confidence too, and that’s the same for a lot of athletes in sport as well.

“In the last five months she’s developed more. Whether she’ll get the chance, with the way the benchmark system works, I don’t know.

“One day I’m hoping, though. She’s maturing.”

And, despite the unlikeliest member of his small stable generating somewhat of an online following thanks to her terrible record, Hook is urging the mare’s avid fan base to tread with caution.

“She could run another 30 times and not place in any of those too,” he laughed.

“If they want to follow her, go for it. There’s a few others in the stable going better.

“You never know though. That’s the beauty of it. I’ll give her every chance.”

by Nick McGrath

Last weekend we saw ten shooters attend the Deep Lead Shooting Complex. They shot at fox targets at both 25 and 50 meters for a maximum of 5.30.53 points.

Targets Rifles

Brian Drabsch 280.28, 250.21, 530.49

David Rogan 280.26, 250.14, 530.40

Ray O’Connor 280.24, 248.15, 528.39

Dustan Bouke              248.19, 528.39

Field Rifles

John Smeaton 275.22, 243.10, 518.32

John Pearce 276.21, 237.06, 513.26

Ron Cunningham 280.22, 232.02, 512.24

Three shots for practice only, to make up their required shots before March 31, 2018. 

Our next shoot is on Sunday, December 17 at 10am. It will be ordinary targets at both ranges. 

We have a new roster out for the first part of 2018. You can get one when you next attend the range.

At last months shoot six shooters attended the Deep Lead shooting complex and shot in a 80 target day with two events. 

Heavy rain fell all afternoon but thanks to Brett Dean for constructing a shelter earlier in the year, we managed to still shoot, only getting a little wet.

Event One: Sixty target known rise using six auto clay throwers. Bryan Rickaby 53, David Tank 51, David Wilson 48, Brian Drabsch 48, Clinton Duffy 36, Dan Morgan 26.

Event Two: Twenty targets twin rise. David Tanks, Brian Drabsch and Clinton Duffy 18 each, David Wilson 17, Bryan Rickaby 13 and Dan Morgan 10. 

All shotguns got wet and required a lot of oil and maintenance to prevent any rust forming. 

Our next shoot will be on Saturday, December 16 at 1pm. It will be the same as above.