Owing to the dust storm on Thursday no bowls were played.

On Saturday 14 bowlers hit the greens for the following results;

In triples the team of John Watson Jim Blake and Rob Irving got off to a slow start against new bowler Graham Hunter Greg Huggins and Ray Jones but hit their straps on the 11th end with a four and gradually increased their lead to run out winners 26-20.

In the pairs games John Wright and Col Hayward were way too good for Ron Hornery and Geoff Freemanin scoring a 24-12 win.

In the other pairs game Gordon Dickson and Rob Tinker totally outclassed Paul Hevers and Arthur Corbett 27- 8.

Paul and Arthur got stuck on eight on the eighth end and that is where the score remained for them right to the end.

Our annual Australia day mini carnival was held on Sunday in trying humid conditions with a full field of 14 teams going out to do battle on the two greens.

Owing to the conditions and the late start the middle pairs games were shortened from 15 to ten ends which gave a bit of room to finish the fours games on time.

The winners for the day were Steve Turner, Elaine Miller, Janelle Ross and Dave (major) Johnson with four wins.

Australia day representative Tim Keith presented the prizes and gave his apologies for Australia day ambassador Father Chris Riley who was unable to attend owing to illness.

Pictured left to right happy winners Steve Turner, Elaine Miller, Dave(major) Johnson and a beaming Janelle Ross.

In second place were the popular Forbes crew of Lyall Strudwick Grant Lambert Bob Grant and Christian.

Lyall never fails to support our club when there is a tournament and is always there for us.

Thank you for your support Lyall and team; it is much appreciated.

In third place the team of Brett (Baldy) Frame, Cheree Frame and Brenda and Joe Davies.

In fourth place the team of Pat Cooney, Steve McGrath and father and daughter team of Wally and Maree Grant.

Gary McPhee

Parkes veterans golf president, Michael Lynch, defied the extremely dusty and windy conditions to win the weekly twin-towns golf competition played at Parkes last Thursday.

Despite Lynch accumulating an impressive 28 points, he won on a count-back from another local John Pearce, who equalled the score.

Hitting the par threes was challenging, however Forbes players Barry Shine (A grade) and Steve Edwards (B) were closest at the fourth hole, while Parkes' Richard Hamilton was the A grade winner on the 11th.

Barry Parker (Forbes) won the encouragement award.

Parkes again came out on top in the Mick Miller shield, scoring 149 points to Forbes'127.

Thirty players braved the testing conditions which saw the ball sweep go down to 21 points.

Parkes players dominated with Gordon Christie and Phil Phil Bishop scoring 24 points, Ron Jackson (23), Roel ten Cate and John Dwyer (22) and Ian Phipps (21).

Forbes winners included Barry Shine who backed up his nearest the pin win with a solid 25 points and Allan Rees (21).

This week Condobolin will host the first of the Lachlan Valley veterans 18-hole competitions for 2020.

Parkes players wanting to travel to Condo by bus must register by Wednesday morning.

The AGM will be held this Wednesday, January 29 at the Town Bowling Club starting at 7pm.

Any team who has not yet nominated can do so at the meeting. Please bring the hundred club tickets as it will be drawn after the meeting.

Leah Roberts

Stepping up to open company for the first time, the five year old mare The Long Run produced a dashing frontrunning display to win the feature event before a very good crowd at Forbes on Saturday.

During the current campaign The Long Run has won five of the last seven starts and has led most of the way on each occasion to win at Mudgee, Warren, Bathurst, Dubbo and Forbes.

Apprentice jockey Ashleigh Stanley has been the rider of The Long Run and keeping it in the family, her father Peter.W.Stanley is the trainer at Bathurst and her mother Melissa Eassie is a part owner.

Quickly away from the outside barrier, The Long Run ( $5.50 ) set the pace and held on to win the 1400 metres Australia Day

Handicap at Forbes by a head from the strong finishing Dennis Bush, locally trained Molasses ( Greg Ryan, $3.70 ) with the $3 favourite Highly Desired ( Ashley Morgan ) in third place.

Champion jockey Greg Ryan made up for his narrow defeat on Molasses by winning the following race by a half head on the Rodney Robb,

Nyngan trained Mango Liston ( $5.50 ) which fought off the challenge by the $2.20 favourite Larynx ( Ashley Morgan ) in the 1400 metres Australia Thanks All Heroic Firefighters Class 2 Handicap.

Damon Budler who at 36 is possibly the oldest apprentice jockey in Australia rode a winning double, The Inflamer ( $2.40 fav.) and Jewel Of The Clan ( $3.20 fav.), both being trained at Canberra by Nick Olive.

Reared in Durban, South Africa, Damon Budler rode trackwork in Canberra for six years before starting an apprenticeship with trainer Rob Potter and has recorded 21 winners since his first race ride at Wellington last year.

Six year old brown mare Bansuri took 33 starts to record the first win and in a big turnaround has won three of the last five starts, at Narromine, Dubbo and Forbes for Narromine trainer Kylie Kennedy.

Coming from well back in the big field, Bansuri ( $8 ) ridden by Mathew Cahill, in a close finish, won the Forbes Can Assist Benchmark 58 Handicap ( 1600 metres ) from Reward Seeker ( Kath Bell-Pitomac, $13 ) and Smart Attire ( Ken Dunbar, $41 ).

Another galloper from Narromine to take time in recording an initial win has been the Terry Fulwood trained Ticket To El Aye which at start 21 and following several recent placings won the opening event at Forbes, the Parkes Jockey Club Supporters Maiden Handicap over 1600 metres.

Leading for home, Ticket To El Aye ( Angela Cooper, $6.50 ) held on to defeat Buddabadah ( Mathew Cahill, $3.20 fav.) and Castlehyde ( Greg Ryan,$6.50 ).

Other winners were She's Smart ( Kayla Nisbet ( $4.40 ) from the Gosford stables of Luke Hilton and the Rodger Waters, Wagga Wagga trained Sizzleonthebridge ( Qin Yong,$5 ).

The neighbouring town of Parkes lost their January meeting due to drought affecting the track however the Parkes Jockey Club gave good support for the replacement Forbes meeting with several busloads of racegoers attending from Parkes.

Sponsors of the very successful Forbes meeting were Forbes Livestock And Agency, Walkers Ag N Vet, Shane Davie Concreting and Parkes Jockey Club Supporters.

Racing at Bathurst on Friday, Geurie Picnics on Saturday and Dubbo on Monday.

Colin Hodges