WITH the rain from Saturday nowhere to be seen, healthy crowds and an abundance of market stalls made Sunday 4 October a day to remember at the Boorowa Irish Woolfest. Stallholders offered wool, crafts, food and local produce, while the Young Town Band set the tone from 9am. The traditional Blessing of the Fleece was performed at 11.45am by local clergy Deacon Patrick Whale from St Patrick's Catholic Church, Reverend Richard Lewis from St John's Anglican Church and Bronwyn Fickle from Boorowa Uniting Church. After the official opening at noon, the street parade made its way along Marsden Street, led by trucks carting wool. Staff and students from Boorowa Central School and St Joseph's Primary School joined classic cars, old tractors and the local fire service, along with a shearing shack where Scottie Halls, his son Buster and 73-year-old Keith Coble gave shearing demonstrations. The Running of the Sheep followed at 12.40pm, with 150 wethers supplied by Reg Croker. The mob set off from the Old Court House end of Marsden Street and ran to the roundabout, where it stalled for a time. With some encouragement, the sheep made their way back up Marsden Street to the starting point and the waiting truck. "One of the standout highlights was once again the iconic Running of the Sheep, which drew huge crowds and created a wonderful atmosphere right across Boorowa," Hilltops Council tourism and events coordinator David Munnerley said. The afternoon brought plenty of laughs, with Alfie Shean winning the Irish Accent Challenge and Lou Corcoran taking out the sheep baaing contest, while Tim Bradley won the Guinness Pie Challenge in a record time of 21.2 seconds. Headliners Double Shot Maggie and local artist Josie Laver entertained the crowd. Munnerley said the festival drew visitors from near and far. "It was particularly pleasing to see so many return visitors, which is a testament to the unique charm of Woolfest and the warm hospitality of our community," he said. More coverage of the weekend's events, including the Quick Shear results, on page
