On Saturday and Sunday, May 11 and 12 the sectional rounds of these championships were played.

Our Club was well represented with teams in the Open, Presidents and Veterans Divisions and had winners in each Division to play off in the Zone Finals on the weekend of May 25/26.

I don't have too many details about the Open Division other than that the team of Mike Went, Paul Went, Mark Dwyer and Tom Furey (substituting for Tom Casey) qualified for the Zone Final.

I have been told that our team in the Veterans division also qualified for the Zone Final and will have more information next week.

Our Club hosted the Presidents Division and on Saturday Gary McPhee, Dave Johnson. Col Mudie and Rob Irving had wins against teams from Parkes Railway and Manildra to make it through to the Final on Sunday.

The Semi-Final in the other half of the draw was a thriller. The team from Condobolin were leading 26-18 with two ends to play before the Parkes Railway team scored seven shots on the twentieth end and then tied the scores, winning the last end by one shot.

In the extra end Condobolin were hold shot until Steve Frame's final bowl somehow managed to dislodge the Condobolin bowl and rest on the jack to take Parkes Railway through to the final.

On Sunday, the final was also a thriller. Steve Frame, Peter Creith, Geoff Leonard and Steve Torrens (representing Parkes Railway) had the better of the early ends and lead team McPhee 5-1 after five ends.

After fifteen ends team Frame held a slim lead, 12-10 but over the next four ends team McPhee scored eight shots to one and with two ends to play lead 18-13.

I looked like history would repeat itself when team frame scored six shots on the second last end to take the lead 19-18 but the Parkes Men's club team held on in the last end to advance to the final with a 20-19 win..

Congratulations to all players involved on the weekend and good luck to all our three teams in the Zone Finals in two weeks.

SOCIAL BOWLS

Thursday, May 9

On a rather cold bleak day 19 hardy souls turned out to play two games of Pairs and two games of Triples with Col Mudie playing lead and second in one of the Triples games.

In the Pairs games:

Col Woods and Ray Jones 23 defeated John Dunn and Col Miller 16

John Watson and Gordon Dickson 24 were too good for Alan Affleck and Jim Blake 9.

Results in the Triples were:

Graham Dixon, Ted Wright and Graham Barby 24 Mark Dwyer, Bob Freeman and Rob Irving 8

Steve Ryan and Col Mudie (lead and second) 33 Col Hayward, Les Kent and Mal Porter 16

Saturday, May 11

Only one match was played and in a close one Alan Affleck, Gordon Dickson and Lorraine Baker scored single shots on the last two ends to defeat Graham Dixon, Bob Freeman and Greg Huggins 16-14.

The luck rink prize wasn't won and jackpots to next week.

Badge Draw.

The badge draw was not won last week and will be worth $1600 this week. As usual, it will be drawn on Friday night sometime after 8pm when the raffle is finished.

Hope to see you at the club for the chance to enjoy a great Pub style meal, win cash, a meat tray or voucher and (if you are a Member) have a chance to take home the Badge Draw jackpot.

The Rookie

A good field of thirty-nine veteran golfers met at Forbes Golf Course last Thursday to enjoy another round of golf.

The points for the Mick Miller Shield went the home side, Forbes 155 to Parkes 143. The individual winner was Rod Besgrove (Fbs) on 28 points from Barry Shine (Fbs) on 27 points. The encouragement award went to old stager, Bill Warren, (Pks) The nearest the pin winners were Barry Shine, Mark Toohey and Tom Delmenico.

This week we head south the Grenfell to take up again the Lachlan Valley 18 Holes Competition on the sand greens. The bus will depart the Parkes Golf Club at 8am. The following week we will return home to Parkes.

Mcl

Last weeks results

Budgies defeated Strikers 4-3 with players player going to Brett Jones for Budgies and Kathy Madden for Strikers. High scores were Belinda Boardman 109. Tony Gilliver 100. Kathy Madden 140.

Top Flights defeated Pluggas 4-3 with players player going to Dave Rogan for Top Flights and Darrell Bailey for Pluggas. High scores were Hans Christensen 140, 135. Dave Rogan 140, 3x 100. Keith Rogan 122, 2x 100. Mick Herft 100. Darrell Bailey 2x 140, 126, 2x 100. Michael Dunn 140, 2x 100. Leah Roberts 120, 100. The Wolves defeated Twist Tops 7-0 by forfeit.

This Wednesdays draw

Leah Roberts

Round 9

We are already up to Round 9 of our competition and what a great nine weeks it's been. The nights are defiantly getting cooler, so don't forget your winter clothes.

There are some great games being played in both our Ladies and Mixed competition so everyone keep up the great work. Thank you to all the umpires that turn up every week to do their duties without you guys umpiring the games would not be able to commence.

Please remember that you are not able to umpire or anyone else on your team it is up to you to replace your umpiring duties. Just a reminder that the Parkes and District Netball Association's General Meeting is Monday, May 20 at 7pm at the Parkes Services Club.

Everyone is welcome to attend, if you would like to have a say in the future of Parkes netball then feel free to come along and have a say, We hope to see as many people as possible there. Week eight results:

Mixed:

Ladies:

Tuesday, May 14 Round 9 Draw. Set Up: The Loose Screws.

Mixed:

Ladies:

Pack Up: Brons Babes

Lisa Nutley

Saturday, Cobar Cup: Making the most of opportunities from the Connie Greig stable at Dubbo, jockey Rasit Yetimova rode a winning double on Saturday including the Greig trained Naoko in the $12,000 Westpac Cobar Cup.

Queensland visitor She's Tidy set the pace in the 1700 metres Cup from Royal Abbey and the $1.90 favourite Rusty Motorbike, with Naoko settling midfield.

Coming with a well timed run, Naoko ( $4.20 ) grabbed the lead close to home and won by a half neck from She's Tidy ( Jeff Kehoe, $6 ) with over four lengths to the third placed Sorry I'm Awesome ( Rhiannon Payne, $4.40 ).

Purest ( $8 ), the first leg of the double for Connie Greig and Rasit Yetimova, finished strongly from the back of the field to win the Sullivans- Dr Allan Brady Memorial Class 2 Handicap ( 1370 metres ) from Engaging ( Rhiannon Payne,$4 ) and Late Return ( Ken Dunbar, $2.40 favourite ).

Orange trainer Michael Plummer and former Queensland jockey Rhiannon Payne after their second with Engaging then won the Broughton Field Services- George Booth Memorial Maiden Plate ( 1000 metres ) with Spicy Menu ( $2.60 fav.) which fought off a challenge from the Wangaratta ,Victorian trained Bella Shadow ( Tiffany Jeffries, $5 ), with Steph's Wish ( Ken Dunbar, $3.40 ) running third.

Melbourne based jockey Rhonda Mangan made the trip worthwhile by winning the KML Industries -Buckman Family Memorial Benchmark 50 Handicap ( 1200 metres ) for Cobar trainer Wayne Prisk.

Jawsome ( $3.80 ) took the early lead and held on to beat Minamahal ( Jeff Kehoe, $5 ) and Divine Design ( Rhiannon Payne, $6 ). There was a big crowd at Cobar and plenty were cheering as Jawsome is raced by the 12 member Cobar Camels Racing syndicate.

Jarrod Marsden who is the President of the Cobar Miners Race Club is the manager of the Cobar Camels syndicate while he is also the owner of Three Rar, the winner of the 1100 metres Yanda Art- Lou Simon Memorial Benchmark 58 Handicap.

Three Rar ( $9 ) ridden by Jeff Kehoe is trained at Menindee by Jarrod Marsden's father Wayne Marsden and led all the the way to beat stablemate Vonnida ( Rhonda Mangan,$2 fav.) and Felicette ( Rasit Yetimova,$4.20 ).

Parkes jockey Tiffany Jeffries gave the Mick Loftus, Tullibigeal trained Better Strike ( $8 ) a good run behind the duelling leaders and Better Strike speared through a gap to beat She's Pretty Zippy ( Rhonda Mangan, $3.50 ) and Jack Junior ( Jeff Kehoe,$3 fav.). in the 1200 metres Landmark Russell -Vinty Delaney Memorial Class 1 Handicap.

Mudgee and Brewarrina to race on Saturday followed by Wellington on Monday.

Sunday Parkes Cup: A scriptwriter could not have devised a better ending to a Hollywood blockbuster than what transpired on Sunday when the Vale George Wright Maiden Plate was run at the Parkes Cup meeting.

George Wright the popular Parkes trainer who passed away in March was also a legendary supporter of rugby league in the town and in a touching tribute the Parkes Spacemen first grade team interrupted pre game preparations at another Parkes venue to arrive as horses were approaching the barriers for the memorial race.

George Wright Jnr who had recently taken out a trainers licence to continue operating the family stable had two runners in the race On A Promise and Sheboygan and what happened next was pure theatre.

Sheboygan, an outsider, surprised by leading the 13 horse field to the hometurn with On A Promise travelling fourth on the rails and ready to challenge.

Halfway down the straight it became obvious the Wright trained sentimental favourites were going to fight out the finish and even punters who had backed other runners joined the cheering as On A Promise ( Nick Heywood, $4.20 ) won the Memorial race from stablemate Sheboygan ( Quayd Krogh,$15 ) and Tapanui ( Grant Buckley, $5 ).

To complete a wonderful story the third and fourth place getters Tapanui and Occasional are trained by Rodney Robb from Nyngan, a long time great mate of George Wright.

The group of owners who race the winner On A Promise are from Lake Cargelligo and were loyal clients of George Wright, and now his son George Wright jnr.

Wagga Wagga trainer Chris Heywood has now won the Parkes Services Club Parkes Cup ( 1600 metres ) three years in succession, with Leucura ( 2017 ) and Class Clown ( 2018 and 2019 ).

Ridden by Cowra jockey Mathew Cahill on Sunday, Class Clown ( $4.60 ) had a nice run behind the leaders Any Blinkin' Day and Good Host and then broke clear to win by over two lengths from Danetrille ( Nick Heywood,$4.40 favourite ) and Any Blinkin' Day ( Jake Pracey-Holmes,$5 ).

The Cahill brothers had a big weekend, Mathew winning the Parkes Cup and Queensland based Michael Cahill winning the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 on $51 outsider The Bostonian.

An outstanding field of sprinters contested the 1200 metres Parkes Services Club Satellite Handicap and in a fast run race the Brett Cavanough, Scone trained Star Boy ( Tony Cavallo, $4.80 fav.) after sharing the lead held on to beat joint pacemaker Manzano ( Billy Owen,$5 ) by a short neck with the Dennis Bush, Forbes trained Molasses ( Ken Dunbar,$26 ) running on well for third.

Tony Cavallo rode three winners, Star Boy, Toulon Brook ( $1.90 fav.) for Dubbo trainer Kody Nestor and the John Marzol, Moruya trained Bitofastar ( $5 ) while in form jockey Ashley Morgan brought the Leo Harland, Gilgandra trained The Iceman ( $2.70 ) from the back of the field for a strong win.

Other winners were Phenomenal Spirit ( Bobby El-Issa,$5 ) from the Mark Jones stable at Dubbo and the very promising Press Box ( Billy Cray, $2.05 fav.) trained at Bathurst by Dean Mirfin.

Colin Hodges