With the last of the surfaces being completed on Saturday a big emphasis had to be made to start getting out the 100 tonne of beach sand that is required to be spread over the grass to hold it in place.

With the horrendous winds that we have been experiencing, it has been a huge relief to get the grass secured, before it blew up against the fence.

Along with the assistance of the Grenfell Cubs, Tuesday night 55 tonnes was spread out over three courts and Wednesday night there were nine tennis players spread a further 25 tonne. Thank you to those Tuesday Night Men for their invaluable assistance.

Danny Joyce

Well, goodbye November......hello December and Christmas hams!! As of Thursday, December 5, we will be able to enjoy a balmy evening out, with a game of mixed, social bowls.

Come on down for a chance to win a Christmas ham or to grab a minor prize. Members are requested to have their names into the club by 6pm for a 6.30pm start. Also on the horizon, is our combined Christmas/Presentation night. This will be held at 6.30pm on Thursday, December 12. This will also be a social, mixed bowls evening with a sausage sizzle and another chance to win a ham.

Ladies, if you have not already done so, please show your availability for Pennant, by putting your name on the sheet provided on the notice board. There is also a sheet for the Towning Shield. The Towning Shield is a District selected Regional event, whereby individuals are selected to play in teams of fours. This event is to be played in March at Condobolin.

Some of our ladies competed in one of the last championships for the year, with the final of the mixed pairs being played on the weekend. Congratulations to Lyn and Steve Galvin on your win against Sonia Ingall and Andrew Armstrong. Our ladies will be hosting another meat raffle on Friday, December 6.

There will be a roster posted on the notice board and it would be appreciated if everyone could spare an hour of their time to help with these fundraisers.

If you are unable to fulfil your roster, please make arrangements for someone to take your place, as these nights are an important way for us to raise money.

We will also be hosting a Trivia night on the December 13 after the meat raffle. So, please grab as many friends as you can and head on down. It is a great, fun night and not taken too seriously, but again offers our ladies club a chance to make some money for future needs.

On a side note....for those ladies who have memorised their NSWWBA ID number and use it accordingly, please note that these numbers have changed, so please check your new cards when you receive them.

Our next monthly meeting is scheduled for 5.30pm on Thursday, January 16. Finally, a big happy birthday to our birthday girl of the week, Sonia Ingall.

Sandra Paine

Social Bowls: Good weather conditions greeted the Grenfell social bowlers with 44 players participating during the week. The winners were;

Free games :- John Dumbrell, Mark McSpadden, Nevin Hughes, John Joyce, John Grogan and Barry Jones.

Vouchers: John Grogan, Gary Pipe, Max Barr, Greg Fanning and Rod ONeill.

Chooks:- Nev Coleman, Q Murray, Darryl Spalding and Gary Pipe.

Hams. Rod ONeill This week you needed +2 on the 8th end on an even numbered rink. The jackpot was not won this week. Next week the jackpot will be $86.

The chooks will change to Christmas hams on Wednesdays, Fridays and 5pm Saturday nights up until Christmas day. Social bowls on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays will commence at 1pm with the names in by 12.30pm.

Dave Hancock

Ricky Blewitt who rode Frenzied to victory in the Bong Bong Picnic Cup last week had further success at Narromine on Thursday as the part owner of Bansuri, winner of the 1600 metres Class 1 and Maiden Plate.

Unlike his counterparts in the professional ranks, Blewitt as a Picnic jockey is allowed to be an owner and he races Bansuri with his partner, Narromine trainer Kylie Kennedy. Threatening to win a race for some time, Bansuri finally broke through after 32 starts had yielded eight placings but no wins.

Bansuri ( Clayton Gallagher, $15 ) finished fast on the rails from midfield for a three way photo finish win over Ticket To El Aye ( Angela Cooper, $26 ) and A Krupt Pick ( Daniel Northey, $12 ). All three place getters are trained at Narromine, by Kylie Kennedy, Terry Fulwood, and Wayne Collison, respectively. Owned by former jockey Andy Lordan and trained at Narromine by ex jockey Justin.W.Stanley, You Know Zon also broke through for an initial win after 12 placings from 37 starts.

Gaining a rails run, You Know Zon ( Billy Cray, $21 ) edged out Harabel ( Daniel Northey, $21 ) and Electrostep ( Tony Cavallo,$10 ), the margins being a nose by a nose in the 800 metres AG N VET Maiden Plate.

Forbes trainer Dennis Bush after recent wins by stable star Molasses had a win at Narromine with Yeas And Nays in the 800 metres Narromine Hardware Benchmark 58 Handicap.

Owned by the Taylor family from Sydney, Yeas And Nays ( Mathew Cahill, $16 ) maintained a slender lead to beat Maria Elisa ( Tiffany Jeffries, $11 ) by a short head with Cannizzaro ( Angela Cooper, $19 ) a nose away third.

Honest mare Lulu's Destiny ( $3.50 favourite ) bred and owned by David Ringland from Dubbo and trained at Nyngan by Rodney Robb led throughout to win the Ag Auto Spark Benchmark 58 Handicap ( 1300 metres ) from The Long Run ( Ashleigh Stanley, $5.50 ) and Yu Long Sheng Hui ( Grant Buckley, $8.50 ).

Daniel Northey was responsible for a nice ride when the Rod Northam, Scone trained Valree ( $6 ) swept past a good field to win the Rushweld Engineering Open Handicap ( 1300 metres ) while Athena's Lad ( Tony Cavallo, $7.50 ) trained at Wellington by Michael Mulholland for Kel Turner from Dubbo made an impressive debut when working home strongly to win the 1300 metres Alan Lloyd Memorial Maiden Handicap.

Other winners were the Darren Hyde, Dubbo trained Mr Epic ( Andrew Banks, $9 ) and Northern Conqueror ( Ashley Morgan,$5.50 ) trained at Mudgee by Bob Howe.

The well attended funeral for Peter "Wacky " Pennell was held at Coonamble on Saturday." Wacky" from Carinda, was a well liked owner and trainer with some of his winners over recent years including the good sprinter Princess Pachara, Sword Fighter, Cannizzaro and Knights Honour.Some of his wins were achieved at far flung tracks when he enjoyed trips away to remote parts of Australia with Nyngan trainer Rodney Robb and other owners and trainers.

Mudgee Cup is on this Friday with Wellington to race next Monday, the meeting having been transferred from Dubbo due to water shortage caused by the drought.

Colin Hodges