The Toogoolawah Show has once again proven itself to be a draw card event of the district. With beautiful winter weather and some new entertainment, it was a perfect combination to bring the crowds out in droves.
The weekend kicked off on Friday morning with the prime cattle judging under the watchful eye of judge Brian Conroy, with excellent entries despite the dry weather and a strong sale, they were literally there from dawn to dark.
Next to kick off were the local horse events in centre ring, once again there were plenty of horses and an abundance of beaming faces with brightly coloured ribbons. The pavilions had some wonderful displays of fresh fruit and vegies, photography, arts and crafts and of course the student displays.
For much of the weekend there was a hive of activity as kids and parents alike checked out the winners and spotted the works of those they knew. The show dogs section saw a large array of various small and large breeds compete for their coveted champions. Best in breed or not, there were a number of pooches that stole the hearts of all those that watched.
Friday afternoon saw the commencement of the cattle young judges competitions. Dozens of students from across the district represented their schools competing in both the prime and stud cattle young judges. With such strong classes, I think it’s safe to say the future of our cattle industry is in great hands.
Saturday morning, bright and early the cattle and horses kicked off again. Saturday saw the start of the stud cattle and led steer competitions. Bringing home the purple sash from these sections is not only highly sought after for the stud breeders, but more and more the school students and their cattle herds are providing those long standing in the industry with some fierce competition. The horse section commenced it’s open competition Saturday morning with breeds, hacks and showjumpers delighting spectators of the centre ring well into the day.
At 3pm the grand parade kicked off with our 2018 Showgirl Alannah Slade and runner up Emily Granzien riding aboard the Seymours Toyota Chariot. The grand parade is a time old tradition that allows the winners of many of the livestock sections to showcase their animals along with vehicles and machinery that many of the farmers utilise on a day to day basis.
While the traditions of the agricultural show are about competing against your neighbours for who grows the best hay or pumpkins, who makes the best fruit cake or who won the champion exhibitor, it’s also a time for fun and enjoying a laugh with fellow farmers, and the chainsaw races and woodchop are certainly the centre piece for this. Located beside the bar the local rivalry between neighbouring teams and friends alike saw massive crowds cheering on the races well in to the night.
There were fabulous crowds with plenty of entertainment and to kick off the night time program the Esk Co-operative fireworks display once again wowed the crowds and set the tone for the rest of the night. Sideshow alley was in full swing, live music by the bar and the inclusion of the Young Farmers Challenge finals with teams of four men and women eating cold pies, drinking warm beer, rolling swags and stacking hay, meant there was plenty to get involved with once the sun went down.
The words of president Vern Doyle really summed it all up: “The tireless committee would like to thank everyone involved with this year’s show whether they be a competitor or a spectator, a sponsor or an entertainer, without your support the show would not be the continued success it is.”
