Year 10 Parkes High School student Lara Bennett and her horse took part in Australia’s largest high school interschool equestrian event earlier this month. The North West Horse Expo in Coonabarabran had over 590 high school riders competing. Lara placed 5th in both her dressage tests, 4th in the show Hunter Hack and 2nd in pair of riders. The weather did not play along and unfortunately many events were cancelled. Well done Lara! (Photo: Parkes High School Facebook page)
On Tuesday 16 players suited up for some target practice at social bowls.
Laurie Keane and Kay Craft made a gallant effort on Arena 2, but the victors getting the “thumbs up” were Frances Charlton and Maria Willcockson.
Rose Mitchell and Brenda Davies took extra time to warm up on Arena 3. Hilda McPherson and Maureen Baillie galloped ahead, only to falter at the drawbridge and allow the first pair to catch them. T’was neck and neck to the finish, Hilda and Maureen by 2!
Ladies-in waiting, Maureen Miller and Lea Orr, enjoyed a slow-paced duel of Scroungers on Arena 5.
Vi West, Merilyn Rodgers and Elaine Miller waved the white flag early in their battle on Arena 4. They really just attended out of courtesy, leaving Flo Riseborough, Carol Reed and Marja Iffland with the greater score.
Some courteous ladies waited till they were inside the castle to begin their winning streak! The Trading Table was laden with jewels for the picking – and many lucky winners did just that!
Maureen was keeping the goblets of wine and mead brimming, always our heroine!
Extra thanks must go out to the Manildra B C ladies who passed the helmet round and amassed $100 towards our recent Pink Day.
A bit late in wishing our June Geminis a Happy Birthday! Kay, Merilyn, Audrey, Lynn and Betsy, all the best!
Next Tuesday is our AGM. The club will provide a pizza lunch, so please come along and feast and contribute!
The nominations for Club Championship Fours will close next week.
To play social bowls next Tuesday, 28th June 28 call the club between 9am and 9:30am on 6862 1446, with play to begin at 10am.
Visitors and interested new-comers always welcome!
Social Roster: Beth Thomas
By Lea Orr
Plenty of Parkes hockey players have been selected for NSW State teams recently. The 2022 NSW masters teams: 34s: Louise Witherow (shadow); 50s: Denise Gersbach (LT), Jane Rodgers, Mandy Westcott and Sue McGrath (shadow); 65 Blues: Fran Dixon, Maureen Massey and Donna Payne (manager). NSW Country team: Will Searl after his performance at the Men’s Open State Championships last weekend.Congratulations to you all!
Parkes hockey star Mariah Williams will make her debut at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July this year.
Despite having 93 caps for Australia, Mariah has never played at the Commonwealth Games. She was recently also selected for the Women’s Hockey World Cup squad. Mariah is one of 12 debutants picked for the Games with the Hockeyroos aiming to return to their golden ways. They have won gold in four of the six Commonwealth Games where hockey has been played. The Hockeyroos will come up against New Zealand, South Africa, Scotland and Kenya in their group stage.
The serious part of Tuesday was the final of the Club Championship Triples at the Parkes Bowling and Sports Club. This year’s champions are Rose Mitchell, Rhona Went and Liz Byrne, as they outplayed Kay Craft, Merilyn Rodgers and Jan McPhee in an openly friendly match!
For the rest of the day 26 ladies were flushed with excitement to see the sun shining brightly for our Pink Day.
The Think Pinks (Maria Willcockson/Chris Cox/Annette Tisdell) took on the Blushing Beauties (Marja Iffland/Lesley Dunstan/Frances Charlton).
The Dusky Roses (Heather Harvey/Ann McKay/Beth Thomas) displayed strong attack against the Rosy Cheeks (Sue Madison/Valmai Westcott/Jan Waugh).
The Pink Tints (Elaine Miller/Carol Reed/Loris Stewart) defended their turf well against the Flushed Musks (Vi West/Jill Taylor/Lynn Ryan).
An amazing amount of $704 was raised and will go to breast care nurses.
By Lea Orr
Only 32km separates them, but the annual rugby league rivalry between the Parkes Spacemen and the Forbes Magpies reaches much further. On Sunday the Parkes Spacemen took the honours at home with a 34 – 10 victory over the Magpies. The other scores for the day were League Tag: Parkes 32 – Forbes 8; 18s Forbes 34 – Parkes 6; Reserves Forbes 16 – Parkes 14.
The Parkes Services Club (PSC) has given the Parkes Bowling and Sports Club a $1,000 sponsorship for the Women’s Classic Triples weekend on 18th and 19th June. About 50 bowlers from Dubbo, Mudgee, West Wyalong, Lake Cargel-lico, Forbes and Canowindra will join the Parkes players for the weekend. At the cheque handover on Tuesday were (L-R) PSC Manager Cyndi Murphy with women’s bowlers Carol Reed, President Maureen Miller, Lea Orr, Liz Byrne and Heather Harvey.
A chocolate fix was just what was needed to coax the lady bowlers out onto the green for the opposite of a “Summer Roll” on Tuesday!
Twelve of us trekked to the top green to play Rolo, aiming for a Bounty of Top Deck shots.
Frances Charlton/Maria Willcockson/Liz Byrne were doing their best to Block the attack of Lynn Ryan/Maureen Miller/Rhona Went on the Rocky Road of Rink 15. Team Went thought they were Smarties, scoring a 6 on the 9th end, only to be beaten by 6 on the very next end! The Smarties won by 2 after a Dream run at the finish.
When it came to the Crunch on Rink 16, there were more Snickers than Rolos happening! Carol Reed/Lea Orr/Betsy Johnstone, not necessarily in that order, enjoyed much shared banter with Heather Harvey/Merilyn Rodgers/Elaine Miller, with everything coming up Roses on the final end, with a 13-all draw.
Once inside, Maureen, behind the bar, was left Twirling her thumbs as most of us opted for a hot drink before we Flaked.
Tuesday, 14th June is our Pink Gala Day, with all proceeds going to breast care nurses. Wear your pink mufti outfit and bring something to add to the shared luncheon table. The lucky ladies playing the Club Championship Triples will need to wear their uniform – good luck to each of you, play will begin early for you.
Our Classic Triples Tournament will be held the following weekend, 17th and 18th June.
Nominations are now open for the Club Championship Fours and close on 28th June, with Round 1 to be played two weeks later.
By Lea Orr
Major Singles
Early in the week Mick Simpson had a comfortable win against George Boatswain 25 – 7. On Sunday Mick was up against Tom Furey and after 15 ends Mick had opened up a lead of eight shots, 18 – 10. However, Tom found form and after 22 ends Mick’s lead had been cut to 20-18. Over the next five ends Mick recovered form, winning four ends and advancing to the next round with a final score of 25 – 20.
In another close game on Sunday, Steve Turner had the better of the early ends and after eight ends had a lead of 10-2. Over the next seven ends Mick scored 14 shots to Steve’s one and had the lead 16-11. By the 24th end scores were level at 22 all, but Mick won the next two ends to win the match 25 – 22.
Major Pairs
On Saturday four games of pairs were played. Dave Reilly and Nathan Reynolds were drawn against Daryll McKeller and Rob Irving. After six ends Dave and Nathan were in front 9 – 5, but Daryll and Rob won the next five ends to open up a ten-shot lead 19 – 9. At the start of the 16th end Daryll and Rob had what looked like a comfortable lead, 21 – 13, but lost the next five ends and, starting the last end scores were level 21 all. On the last end Dave and Nathan were holding the winning shot but with his last bowl Daryll moved the jack and he and Rob advanced to the next round with a 23 – 21 win.
Results of other matches were: Mark Dwyer and Mick Simpson 20 – Guy Ellery and Gary McPhee 13; Brian Townsend and John Wright 21 – Rob Tinker and Jim Blake 12; Mick Went and Brett “Baldy” Frame 21 – Wilbur Harris and Steve Turner 11
By George Bradley
EVERGREEN… Mariah Williams was selected for the 2022 Women’s Hockey World Cup squad last week. (Photo: Kookaburra Hockey)
Parkes hockey star Mariah Williams is well on her way to her 100th test cap for Australia after being selected for the 2022 Women’s Hockey World Cup squad last week. Mariah, who received her first international cap at the age of just 17 in April 2013, is now one of the most experienced players in the squad with 93 caps.
The Hockeyroos open their World Cup campaign against Japan on 2nd July, and will play Belgium on 5th July and South Africa on 6th July. The 2022 World Cup takes place in Terrassa, Spain and Amstelveen, the Netherlands from 1st to 17th July. Sixteen teams will compete in four pools with the final series from 9th July.
The hockey action continues for the Hockeyroos from 28th July with the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. The Hockeyroos will play their first pool match on 30th July.
State Selection For Junior Players
Three local players were selected for the U15 Girls Squad after their performances at the NSW Under 15 Girls State Championships hosted by Parkes last weekend. Congratulations to Chloe Brown, Lily Collins and Juliette Mills on their selection.
It was a massive weekend for Parkes hockey and was very well received by the many hockey associations from across NSW in attendance.
The winning teams in Parkes were: Division 1: Goulburn District Hockey Association; Division 2: Hockey New England; Division 3: Hockey Coffs Coast; Division 4: Hunter Hockey Association
Parkes hockey talents keeps on growing with another ten players selected in the 2022/23 AAP Squad. They are Toby Collins, Chloe Carty, Ted Murray, Jazlyn Greenwood, Kane McFarlane, Molly Orr, Tom Searl, Cody Kirk, Ryan Dunford and Nathan Marshall. The Athelete Acceleration Program (AAP) is aimed at talented athletes.
Two things happen in Australia on the June long weekend: ‘Liz’ has a birthday and Parkes Coradgery and Diggers Amateur Picnic Races are on.
“For more than 120 years we have been holding the best social event on the calendar in the Central West,” said club chairman Tim Keith. “We have survived two world wars, two pandemics, bushfires, floods and plagues of all proportions. They just can’t stop us!
“The committee is very proud of the work to stage yet another massive annual social gathering for the Parkes and wider community on Saturday, 11th June,” said Tim.
According to long-standing club secretary Mark Olson, locals and expats have assembled at the Parkes racecourse in June for generations to catch up, reconnect and socialise. “It’s quite the spectacle.”
Committee member Karen O’Neill said: “I have been to Royal Ascot, attended a Melbourne Cup and witnessed Winx winning her last race, but nothing compares to a Parkes Picnic Races and Fashions on the Field experience.”
Tent site bookings are still welcome for what is hoped to be a classic winter’s day to help smash attendance records on 11th June. A range of catered marquees will be offering packaged food, beverage tickets and seating, while patrons are welcome to bring their own food hampers and picnic on the grass.
Book your tickets at 123TIX to enjoy a day of live entertainment by local band Foxxy Cleopatra, five races, fashions, bookmakers, beers and bubbly!
Parkes Services Club is the major sponsor, and Platinum sponsors Agri-West, Telscope Tyres and McPhersons, while the Railway Hotel and Coats Hire joined the sponsorship pool.