The 2021 Merino sheep judging winners are (L-R) first place Ben Hartwich (VIC), runner-up Campbell Rubie from Forbes (NSW), third place Sym Hood (TAS), and fourth place Will Hacker (QLD).

Campbell Rubie (18) from Forbes is the second best young judge in Australia after being named runner-up for 2021 in the prestigious Agricultural Shows Australia young judging championship. Campbell competed in the Merino Sheep judging category.

Ben Hartwich (22) from Bullygrogran (Ararat), Victoria and Patrick Davis (18) from Harden, New South Wales have taken out Australia’s top spot in the competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show for 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Agricultural Shows Australia (ASA) staged the national championships of young judges and paraders competitions with finalists from each state of Australia and New Zealand.

Campbell have grown up on a family farm, which is a mixed farming enterprise, with the major focus on Merino and Poll Merino Stud. “I am actively involved in all farming activities, including sheep work, machinery work and many other activities.”

The Red Bend Catholic College student plans to work on the family farm after school, with a trade under his belt.

He competed for the first time in 2020 in the junior judging competition, when he qualified for the Royal Easter Show, and came first in the Merino sheep section in April 2021.

“My Dad (Glen Rubie) and my brother (Mitchell Rubie) have had a huge influence on my judging.”

Judging is objective, while there are characteristics about an animal to look for, what the judges will be paying close attention to is how clearly competitors express their decision and how they validate it. A competitor’s appearance is also important and judges can mark down for poor presentation.

The national championships are held in a different location each year. This year, the Sydney Royal Easter Show, celebrating its bicentenary, hosted the 2022 championships including the 2021 finalists who were unable to compete at Ekka due to COVID cancellations.

The National judges and paraders competition brings together the best young judges and paraders aged from 15 to 25 in each state to compete at the national finals. Qualification is via success in competitive regional and state competitions.

Overall there are nine categories for judging and parading each year under the Agricultural Shows Australia national competition program: beef cattle, dairy cattle, alpaca, poultry, Merino sheep, meat breed sheep and Merino fleece judging, as well as parading competitions in beef and dairy cattle.

Dr. Rob Wilson is chairman of ASA, the peak body overseeing 572 agricultural shows in Australia which attract six million visitors annually and contribute nearly $1billion to the national economy. Rob says the competition is designed to recognise the best new talent in livestock judging nationwide.

“It’s an extremely prestigious event and positions at the nationals are keenly contested,” he said.

“These young people are the future of agricultural show competitions which are crucial to the continual improvement of Australia’s food and fibre. The national competition is a coveted opportunity to grow personally and professionally by practising skills against the cream of the crop.”

The Merino sheep and fleece judging competitions are sponsored by Australian Wool Innovation.

With the Parkes Elvis Festival tentacles reaching into the Central West, Forbes residents did not hesitate to dust off the blue suede shoes and boogie in the street last weekend.

Forbes hosted some fantastic Elvis events including the Amazing breakfast in Templar Street on Friday morning and the sold out Swingin’ on the Speedway event at McFeeter’s Motor Museum on Saturday night.

Who said an early morning boogie and breakfast in the CBD is a crazy idea? It was funky and the best way to get the weekend starting with wonderful music by ‘Ray of Elvis’ and Georgia Sideris.

For those still with itchy feet Swingin’ on the Speedway on Saturday night continued the fun with a sit down dinner catered by Eat Your Greens, drinks by Club Forbes and toe tapping tunes by Gracey Denham-Jones, Nic ‘The King’ Nicolas and Jake & the Cadillacs, who ensured everyone danced the night away at Mcfeeters Motor Museum. The dance performance of the incredible Sydney Swing Katz was a show stopper to marvel at.

“It really was an incredible night. We had a blast,” said Monica Wren on facebook. “A massive thanks to everyone invovled. What a success.”

As the Parkes Elvis Festival Director Tiffany Steel said: “I think people had been missing that shared connection and celebration over the last two years, and it felt like a moment where we could all come together, see old friends, make new ones and just have a party fit for The King.”

The Sydney Swing Katz and their incredible dance moves vowed audiences in Forbes and Parkes during the Elvis Festival.

A dance floor in Templar Street to have a breakfast party for Elvis, yes it’s all part of the fun of the festival.

Gracey Denham-Jones performed in Forbes and Parkes during the festival.

(Photos: Amazing Forbes NSW facebook page)

An Anzac Day March down the main street of Parkes.

This year’s Anzac Day celebrations in Parkes might turn out to be one of the biggest ever with many Parkes Elvis Festival visitors asking to be part of the day.

The Elvis Festival ends on Sunday, the day before Anzac Day and the Parkes Sub Branch secretary Paul Thomas said: “We have received a lot of requests from visitors who wish to participate in the March and other festivities.”

He said the traditional selling of badges and memorabilia in the main street leading up to Anzac Day would not take place, but instead the Sub Branch would be setting up a stall in Cooke Park to sell its memorabilia and Anzac Biscuits.

The special guest of honour on the day is Major General J. Paul Stevens AO (Rtd)., and state member Phil Donato MP will also be in attendance.

In Parkes the Anzac Day celebrations will commence with the Dawn Service at 5:30am at Memorial Hill.

Parking at Memorial Hill is limited to Returned Service personnel and holders of In- Capacitated Entitlement Cards.

Parkes Services Club will host a free breakfast at 6:30am for personnel with tickets, while both the Anglican and Catholic churches will conduct special Anzac Day services at 7:30am.

The traditional Anzac Day March starts at 8:20 in front of the Parkes Services Club and it is anticipated that Major General Paul Stevens AO will receive the Salute during the march.

The Mayor of Parkes Ken Keith OAM will commence proceedings at the Commemorative Service with the official welcome. The Parkes Shire Concert Band will provide entertainment and they will support the Parkes Christian School choir.

The captains of the Parkes East Public School Patrick McPherson and Kasey Morgan and Parkes High Schools Captains Charlie Denham-Lowe and Amanda Lowe will do the Address by Modern Youth.

At approximately 10:45am a Wreath Laying Pilgrimage to the Parkes Cemetery War Graves Section will take place.

The Official Anzac Day luncheon will follow the Cooke Park Commemorative Celebration at 12 midday.

Concluding the day’s activities will be the sounding of Retreat at the Cooke Park Cenotaph at 5pm.

Anzac Day celebrations in the rest of the Parkes Shire:

Alectown Dawn Service at 6am; Tullamore Commemorative Service at 10:30am; Bogan Gate Dawn Service at 6am followed by a breakfast; Trundle March “Fall In” at Trundle Central School at 10:30am; Peak Hill Dawn Service at 6am at the AIF Gates then an Anzac Day March at 10:30am.

This year’s Anzac Day national service will once again be held at the Australian War Memorial and broadcast nationally.

Australians are encouraged to stand up this Anzac Day to honour all service personnel, past and present. How you honour and remember those who are serving and those who have served is up to you. Take time to reflect on Anzac Day in a way that means the most to you.

Debby Lennox and John Job. (Photos: Frances Thornton)

The Elvis community in Parkes lost two of its biggest supporters and hardest workers when Debby Lennox passed away on 29th July 2021 and John Job on 15th January, 2020.

Debby and her partner Steve (Elvis) have been an integral part of the festival from day one. Debby was the president of Elvis Revival Inc (ERI – Elvis Festival volunteer committee), at the time of her passing, a committee she served for more than 25 years.

“Debby loved the Parkes Elvis Festival and enjoyed it so much,” said Steve. They shared a passion and love for Elvis Presley, and one of Debby’s many jobs was to always be there for Steve and help him open his private Elvis collection during the festival.

“Deb was a tireless volunteer worker who devoted hour upon hour of her time across many, many years in her efforts in raising funds for the Parkes Elvis Festival,” said fellow committee member Lorraine Job.

Debby’s many virtues included being a talented seamstress, which she used to sew beautiful Elvis jumpsuits. She also sold thousands of raffle tickets to raise funds for the festival, had an amazing talent to remain positive and gifted so much time to others.

John worked continuously and tirelessly as a volunteer at Elvis Central, Renewal of Vows Ceremony, Elvis Poets Breakfast and the Elvis Street Parade for over 16 years. He was his partner Lorraine’s steadfast supporter at all these events as she served on the ERI committee. He never hesitated to put in countless hours while still continuing his everyday jobs.

John was a hard-working, kind, caring and lovely man who never complained, always smiled and happy to help anyone wherever he possibly could.

John was always there to assist Lorraine, and as she was doing work for the festival this year, his absence was acutely poignant.