Once in a lifetime chance for team penners
FOR the first time in the club’s history, the Central West Working Horse Association (CWWHA) will be sending two penning teams to the upcoming Sydney Royal Easter Show.
CWWHA president Jenny Tracy explained that her team, Kegs on Legs, along with a second team, The Long Shots, would be heading to the state capital for the event.
“Our two teams were the top two teams for 2017 to qualify for the Royal Easter Show to compete in the team penning this year,” she told Dubbo Photo News.
Jenny’s team is composed of herself along with Danny Tink and Ross Cale while The Long Shots representatives are father and daughter duo Ian and Hayley Thomas along with team mate Brenden Turner.
“Our second team is from Orange,” Jenny explained.
She admitted to being super-excited about this ‘once in a lifetime chance’.
“Last year, we also qualified but we couldn’t go to the show.
“When we qualified again this year, we decided it was a once in a lifetime chance. We thought we’d better get it while the going’s good.”
To qualify, the group attended team penning events and arena sorting at the Geurie Showground.
“We had four competitions and based on points, the top two teams qualified. They are the ones as a club that will be sent to Sydney.”
With clubs at Mudgee, Coonabarabran, Lyndhurst and Tooraweenah along with three clubs at Tamworth, there’s no doubting the standard and level of competition.
“There’s lots of different clubs, 18 teams from different clubs that are going down. To win the event, there will be some competition. We don’t know anything about the other teams but if the calibre of the other teams is like the last show, it will be good.”
The CWWHA teams hope to do plenty of practice before their departure for Sydney.
“We will try to get in as much Long Shots are Brenden Turner, Ian Thomas, Hayley Thomas. PHOTO: COURTESY 2CPHOTOGRAPHY/ PRUE CRICHTON Kegs On Legs are Ross Cale, Jenny Tracy, Danny Tink. riding as we can to get our horses ready,” Jenny said.
“Although a couple of events have been cancelled because of Level 5 water restrictions and it’s hard for the cattle as they lose too much condition.”
Jenny said the club is very closeknit and there’s sure to be lots of supporters for the teams as they enter the big competition. The other eventers are also a friendly bunch.
Narromine ANZ bank closure
THE ANZ bank is closing more branches in NSW, with three branches in Sydney and another three in the NSW Central West facing closure.
ANZ has notified the Finance Sector Union of Australia (FSU) it will close branches at Forbes (four staff), Narromine, (three staff) and Temora (three staff) on May 18.
“Banks have an obligation to the communities that support them. ANZ is aggressively closing branches at the same time it has reported a $6.4 billion profit in 2017,” FSU national assistant secretary Nathan Rees said.
“We talk a lot and what goes on in the arena, stays in the arena,” she laughed.
“We definitely have a laugh. All the competitors are really encouraging. We compete against each other but it’s like a big family.
“We go there to compete but everyone will still be having a drink together at the end of the night. They are an awesome bunch of people.”
The riders will head to the Schmidt Arena at the Sydney Show on March 25.
“It’s definitely a huge deal, it will be a highlight for the year for me. When we got the club up and running, I would never have dreamt that I would be representing the club at the Sydney Royal only two years later. Hopefully we will do the club proud.”