On this occasion we were fortunate that the property owner wanted to ride with the group, giving his young horse some experience, along with a friend, so a total of nine riders mounted up and set off across the open paddocks. At the back of the property are some scrubby hills that we set about exploring.

The vehicle track we started to follow was very rocky and rough on the horse’s feet, so most riders rode through the scrub off to the side. As we got back down towards the adjoining open paddocks the mostly unused ‘trail’ petered out, leaving riders and horses bashing and crashing through the scrub following the general direction of the fence line.

Those on taller horses were a little better off as they were higher than the biddy bush and prickly undergrowth—the rest of us were glad it was winter and we had thick long sleeves on! It was also a good lesson for those horses who like to ride right on the tail of the horse in front, as the bushes they trampled would flick up in the face of anyone close behind.

It was tricky riding and on a couple of occasions we had to back out of the thick scrub as there was no way through but all the horses handled it pretty well. Once back at the gate all the riders agreed that it was so much fun that we should go again. On coming out of the scrub a second time the horses were happy to hit the open paddocks on the way home, stopping off for a drink at the dam on the way.

There were a few threatening clouds around by the time the riders had attended their horses and gathered for lunch, but our hosts had a great fire going to sit around and enjoy while the sausages cooked on the BBQ. Several members who hadn’t been able to join us on the ride made it for lunch, along with some neighbours and family, making it a very social end to a lovely ride. 

This Sunday, July 30 the club ride will take place on a picturesque cattle property out near Woodstock. An easy relaxed ride for two to three hours around the farm paddocks with undulating terrain. Riders should bring lunch to enjoy after the ride.  For more information call Leonie Martin on mobile 0431 961 416.

The club will also be hosting a Training and Accreditation Weekend for ATHRA members who wish to become an accredited Trail Boss, Ride Organiser or Ride Steward at Wattamondara on August 19-20. Several Cowra members will be joined by members from other clubs to learn how to help safely conduct ATHRA rides and activities. We encourage any member who is able to earn accreditation, as without these officials our club events would not be possible. Club President and Regional Manager Dave Fermor has all the details 0459 420 954.

The next meeting of the Cowra and District Trail Horse Riders Club will be held on Tuesday, August 8 at the Cowra Services Club commencing at 7.30pm (dinner at 6.30pm). Visit www.athra.com.au or find Cowra Trail Horse Riders on Facebook.

The Cowra Gun Club will be hosting the Annual Len Bird Gold Cut Shoot August 5-6. Shooters from all over NSW, ACT and Victoria travel to Cowra to compete each year and we have about 100 competitors participating in each day with all levels of shooters catered for including ladies, juniors, veterans, AA, A, B, and C graders.

The Cowra Gun Club offer free nominations for junior competitors shooting the full program of events and this is aimed at encouraging junior participation. As with all sports we cannot continue without new participants taking up the challenge of clay target shooting.

This year the Saturday, August 5 program will include 25 tgt Points Score followed Telescope Tyres 50 tgt single barrel championship follow by Cowra services Club 50 tgt Double Barrell Championship. Sunday will see shooters competing for the Cowra Diesel Service 50 target Pointscore Championship and the RAILWAY HOTEL 50 target Double Barrel Championship.

The overall High Gun for the weekend will go to the shooter who has amassed the most points and will be presented with the 2017 Cowra Gold Cup badge which was crafted by Superb Jewellery.

This weekend is the Cowra club’s major competition for the year and it brings many people to our town. It would not be possible without the generous support of our wonderful sponsors listed below. Major partners: Railway Hotel Cowra, Telescope Tyres Cowra, Cowra Services Club, Cowra Diesel Services and Hunt’s Shooting Supplies.

Other supporters include: Allen Gray & Co Pty Ltd, Clay Targets Australia, Cowra Bowling Club Ltd, Cowra Bus Service, Sovereign Inn Cowra, Falcon Ammunition, Raywhite Real Estate Cowra, Cowra Machinery Centre, Cowra Motor Inn, Cowra Shire Council, Pat Dwyer Electrical, Elders Insurance Young, Geoff Amos Transport, Geronimo Farm Equipment, JJ Dresser & Co, Marks Pumps Cowra, NC Bellamy Pty Ltd, Philpott Funeral Directors and Riverside Transport.

Saturday, July 22

Under 6 Bears: Best team player, Hunter Keefe. Try scorer of the week, Beau Smith.  Best try scored, Charlie Smith.  Best support player , Caleb Haines. Player of the week, Zac Cooke.

Under 6 Wallabies: Best Team player, Brayden Murray. Try scorer of the week, Max Holmes.  Best try scored, Shelby Ball. Best support player, Max Osbourne. Best tackler/defender, Angus Anning. Most Consistent, Nick Green. Best goal kicker, Lynk Cheng.  Player of the week, Lynk Cheng.

Under 6 Colts: Best team player, Elijah Hardy. Best try scored, Harry Frazer. Try scorer of the week, Harry Frazer. Best tackler/defender, Michael O’Leary. Most consistent, Braith Charnock. Player of the week, Elijah Hardy.

Under 6 Kangaroos: Best team player, Jax Quinn. Try scorer of the week, Bentley. Best try scored, Jax Quinn.  Best support player, Jojo. Best tackler/defender, Jax Quinn. Most consistent, Sam Ingram. Best goal kicker, Sam Ingram. Player of the week, Jax Quinn.

Under 8 Bears: Player of the week, James Brown.

Under 8 Wallabies: Best Team Player, Charles McGuiness. Try scorer of the week, Harry Kilby. Best Support Player, Ryan Sandry. Player of the week, Leo Sheehy.

Under 8 Kangaroos: Cold start to the morning! Took a bit to warm up the shoulders and tackle. Caiden led the way with some crunching defence. Harry showed great evasion in attack. Superb runs from Shawn, Alex p, Michael and Jyden. Solid all game in defence were Lincoln and Alex B. A big thankyou to Thomas for helping out. Player of the week, Caiden Newton.

Under 8 Colts: Best team player, Tom Casey. Try scorer of the week, Nate Gunn. Best try scored, Will Scammell. Best support player, Thomas Craig. Best tackler/defender, Bella Radburn. Most Consistent, Cooper McDowell. Player of the week, Tom Casey.

Under 10 Bears: Best Team Player, Beau Slattery. Try scorer of the week, Cooper Doyle. Best try scored, Cooper Doyle. Best Support Player, Hugh Williams. Best tackler/defender, Kaleb Williams. Most consistent, Hugh Williams. Best goal kicker, Cooper Doyle, Phill Ingram, Cooper Ballard and Kaleb Williams. Player of the week, Cooper Doyle. Great team effort by the Bears.

Under 10 Kangaroos: Best team player, Mack Thompson. Try scorer of the week, Noah Knight. Best try scored, Lucas Sandry and Thomas Pullen. Best support player, Cohan Howden and Finlay McNabb. Best tackler/defender, Noah Knight and Ethan Carden. Most consistent, Baxter Sellenthin. Best goal kicker, Thomas Pullen. Great game from the Kangaroos! Player of the week, Noah Knight.

Under 10 Colts: Best Team player, Seth Crotch. Try scorer of the week, Jock Casey. Best try scored, Aiden Green. Best support player, Mason Langfield. Best tackler/defender, Cameron Murray. Most consistent, Cameron Murray. Best goal kicker, Willei Williams Coe. Player of the week, Jock Casey.

Under 12 Kangaroos: Best team player, Mick Coady. Try scorer of the week, Jayden. Best try scored, James Mooney. Best support player, Jack Webb. Best tackler/defender, Mick Coady. Most consistent, Jayden Williams. Best goal kicker Ethan Millar. Player of the week – James Mooney.

Round 13 July 29

Tiny Field: 9am u6 Wallabies versus Kangaroos. 9.50am u6 Colts versus Bears. 9.25am-9.50am canteen u6 Colts.

Mini Field: 9am u8 Colts versus Bears. 9.50am-10.40am canteen u8 Colts. 9.50am u8 Kangaroos versus Wallabies.

Mod Field: 9am u10 Kangaroos versus Wallabies. 9.50am u10 Colts versus Bears. 10.40-am11am  u10 Bears.    

Main Field: 9am u12 Wallabies versus Bears. 9.30am u12 Wallabies versus Kangaroos. Canteen 9am-9.25am u12 Kangaroos. 10am u12 Kangaroos versus Bears. 11am u13s. 11am canteen u15s. 12pm 14s. 12pm canteen u13s. 1pm u15s. 1pm canteen u14s. 16s Away-Blayney.

Cowra Junior League would like to thank the following sponsors who continue to support the club. Cowra Services Club, LPC Trading, Signs r Us, Central West Credit Union, JJ Dresser and Co, Allan Gray and Co, Boyds Metal Works, MDM Financial Services, Cowra Health Club, LJ Hooker, Breakout River Meats, Ray White & Dominos Cowra. Please continue to sponsor these businesses.

On July 17 five tables played with the following results: NS first Gwyn Reid and Elizabeth Kelly 148. Second Andre Czajkowski and Joan Hurst 126. EW first John McLaren and Pam Powell 149. Second Phil and Sandie Armitage 120.

July 19 four and a half tables played: First Gwyn Reid and Tiit Tonuri 87. Second Joan Hurst and John McLaren 86. Third Sally Delaney and Mark Ward 78.

July 24 saw five and a half tables played with a dead heat for first: First John McLaren and Jenni Fagan 166.5. Equal first Phil and Sandie Armitage 166.5. Third Jean Mary Fagan and Nola Johnston 161.

July 26 four and a half tables played. A Special General Meeting will be held prior to bridge on August 21 at 10.15am regarding proposed changes to the Cowra Bridge Club Inc Constitution. Members are also reminded that our Congress will be held August 16-17.

Saturday, July 22: It was a beautiful, warm, winter’s day without a cloud in the sky, when Geoff White and Zelma Beecher challenged Helen Bryant and Katrine Capps in a game of croquet.  A friendly, quick moving game, where the luck fluctuated from team to team and ended with a win to Helen and Katrine who pegged out with 26 to the opponent’s score of 18.

It must have been a good day for Don Capps when he played against Pam Boler and Netta Noack, as he won easily and quickly with 26 hoops to 8.  The three players regrouped and Don and Pam played as partners against Netta.  Some excellent shots from the partners managed to win them the game against Netta who scored 16.

Monday, July 24: Only four players today and we welcomed Jan Jazprizza to our club.  Ana Kusetic took Jan under her wing, with Alison Muggridge and Shirley.  They all helped each other with various shots which gave them lots of practice in their game.  Lots of fun too.

Wednesday, July 26: Ana Kusetic and Zelma Beecher teamed up to play Helen Bryant and Pam Boler. The former two had a bad start allowing the second pair to score a few hoops.  Ana was really on her game today and played some excellent shots, putting a fair bit of thought into their execution. Well done Ana. The game finished 26-20 in favour of Zelma and Ana.  Helen and Pam displayed some good tactical movements throughout.

Chris Palazzi and Gwen Bush had a much slower moving game on the second court. Gwen is slowly learning the terms and translating them into ball movements on the ground. She managed some really good shots. On the other hand, Chris could preach the ‘how to’ but was unable to carry out what she preached. However the two of us enjoyed our two hours together.

Attendances were high on Friday night with 22 players stepping up all trying to become Friday night champion. The first entry into the final was Jack Chapple who had a hard draw for the night.

Firstly he beat Richard Straney then Joseph Verzi, Robbie Byrne then held off Alan Messiter to be installed into the final. Pros Soun played well beating Wayne McAlister in the first round then played Jack's wife in Patty in the next, then beat Peter Verzi and Geoff Core.

It was a late night with play going well past 12am. Jack held off a late charge from Pros to win 55-47. Congratulations Jack you have done it old son. It was an even draw on Sunday with 17 playing full frame snooker.

The final was a battle of the A graders with Richard Straney playing Mark Rush, Mark got a five start and never really threatened Richard who held a 15 point lead throughout to win 61-30.

The 12 week tournament is now in its 12th week, top 16 play off for $1000 prize money. Each round is played best of three frames. Cowra Services Club is holding a doubles snooker championships on August 5-6. Nominations are now being taken for A, B and C grade and billiards.

Get in early and put your names up on the snooker wall, you only have another week to do so. Friday night, July 28 snooker will be on as usual, names in by 6.15pm. Also, Sunday morning snooker will also be on. Names in by 10.30am. See you next week for more snooker news.

The final of the major triples was declared Thursday, June 20.

Results:

Sharon Bohanna, Di Clarke (substitute D Dye) and Sharen Hubber defeated Judith Day, Ivy Fogg and Nada Kurta 17-11.

Spectators enjoyed the game. Sharen's team also won our district triples and will be going to regional play offs at Blayney on August 29.

On July 1 the Queen of the Green will be played between J.Day and S.Hubber. Princess between V.Penhey and J.Thompson will be played also.

Monthly raffle donated by Leila Burns won by Myrna Peterson.

Busy schedule for August.

August 10 is the president's and 60th birthday. All ladies who have kept guardian of memorabilia also ladies a spider please contact Leila Burns. Number three pennant teams go to state at Ettalong.

August 29 is regional play off day at Blayney, we have triples team, senior pairs and senior fours. List on the board for Vets day at conclusion. Name in as soon as possible. On Tuesday being good weather we had 20 social players on the green.