THERE has been quiz nights, raffles and several fundraisers to support the family of injured Dubbo footballer Ryan Medley, but the scene at Dubbo saleyards on Monday morning was much different.
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During the weekly sheep and lamb sale some 41 lambs and older sheep were auctioned for the appeal with several lambs being re-donated by buyers to be put to auction again raising $9360.
Processors’ representatives, fellow football clubs from Gilgandra and Dunedoo, stock agents and members of the general public among the large crowd attending were all bidding against each other for the cause in amounts as high as $400 per head for three lambs.
Appeal coordinator and Dubbo CYMS Rugby League Club director, Paul Smith, said several lambs were sold the week previous and another dozen will be entered for sale next week.
“In all the sheep appeal will have raised well over $10,000 by this time next week,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Medley had returned to reserve grade football with CYMS after a six year break when playing against the Wellington Cowboys at Kennard Park, Wellington.
He had come off the bench as a reserve and in the 25th minute of the first half sustained a head injury which led to a C5 vertebrae fracture and swelling of the spinal cord and airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital.
CYMS president, Kevin Walkom, told the saleyard crowd of his visit to Mr Medley last week.
“He is out of intensive care and breathing on his own,” Mr Walkom said.
“Basically, he has no movement from his nipples down, but upward he has movement,but no fine motor skills in his fingers. However, he can move his hands and is very animated when he talks.”
Eumungerie grazier, Allen West of “Munnell Falls”, instigated the sheep drive on hearing of the accident.
“Allen was quick to suggest this type of fundraiser and the committee is just so overwhelmed by the generosity of donors and buyers,” Mr Smith said.
