SPRING has sprung, and so has the agricultural show season, with many societies across Victoria and southern NSW returning to normal after the challenges of the previous three years.
According to VAS Ltd's Executive Officer, Rod Bowles, "So far, the responses I have had is good attendances with some shows still yet to use their Kids go Free grants as they were deferred from last year due to some very wet (and in some cases flooded) showgrounds."
"Outdoor events are very much weather dependent and there is a hesitation as to how the economic times and cost of living will affect the families attending shows," said Mr Bowles.
"I believe this was evident during the recent Melbourne Royal Show with some days very well attended and other days not to capacity with a good 10 days of weather on our side," he said.
Seymour was among several shows held in October and was treated to perfect weather with a good turnout, especially on Friday night, which included a fireworks display. According to the society's president, Anne Davidson, the committee was "very happy".
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"We had a record number of entries right across all our pavilions," Ms Davidson said.
This year's Kate McLarty Award, in honour of the former Seymour A&P Society member, was shared by committee member Coral Cole, who won it in 2022, and Kath Purchase for the most outstanding exhibitor in five sections.
The poultry section was much larger than last year and offered "pen sales".
There were also more fleeces this year, with Kevin Hynam from Loxley taking out the championship with his skirted merino ram's fleece.
The alpaca judging is a popular feature event within the Seymour Show and attracts quality entries.
The yard dogs and the dog jump are always crowd-pleasers.
The VAS Junior Cattle Handling competitions were a highlight of the show and a learning opportunity for several young people to pick up some pointers from longtime judge Graeme (Darby) Norris from Rosewhite.
Mr Norris said, "I have failed if when they leave today, they haven't learned something new."
Seymour College ag teacher Amanda McClaren was thrilled with her students' efforts in the ring, with three speckled park cattle in the beef section and four Guernsey dairy cows.
Mr Bowles emphasised a significant part of the VAS Ltd annual activities is for the encouragement of younger people with Junior and Rural Ambassador programs plus judging of sheep, cattle, poultry, and alpacas run at state and national levels.
This youth engagement is being built on with the recent inclusion of the Young Farmers Challenge as an activity at shows as a test of farm skills, plus a range of competitions for school-age children and families.
"The show world has a strong history of generations of involvement and many committee members are progeny of people that has been involved with the shows in the past or had a family connection," said Mr Bowles.
"Most times it takes someone to encourage a younger person to become involved and mentor them with working in a diverse range of ages on the committees," he added.
The various VAS competitions are always keenly contested at local agricultural shows, and many regular exhibitors vie for qualification to the group final and, ultimately, the state finals of the homecrafts.
Mr Bowles said, "The junior competitions are a pathway to state and national finals where there is great opportunities to enhance their skills and become our leaders in the future and hopefully committee members down the track to keep the annual shows alive for many more years to come as many of them are 100 plus years old."
On the equestrian side of VAS activities, he said, the rehomed thoroughbred program supported by Racing Victoria is a magnificent competition for the equine industry, with show winners eligible to compete in the state final at the VAS Ltd Saddle Horse Championships.
Attracting volunteers to any community group is always challenging, and agricultural show committees grapple with this issue.
Mr Bowles said the VAS board recognised that since COVID, a number of volunteers have possibly chosen to do other things or not be available to help with their local show for various reasons.
As VAS Ltd successfully got a grant from the federal government for the cancelled show activities, the board decided to run a campaign to help promote local ag shows and to build up some more resources to assist show societies.
Mr Bowles said there had been an excellent response to the regional television advertising, with several volunteers offering to assist with the various shows, become committee members, or just a general help on the day.
"Shows are community events and need community people to step up for their survival," he said.
November is a busy time on the show circuit in Victoria and includes the Echuca Moama Show on November 11 and 12; Alexandra is also on November 11, followed by Mansfield on November 18 and Yea on November 24 and 25.
Due to COVID and extremely wet weather, the Mansfield Agricultural & Pastoral Society was deeply disappointed when its annual show was cancelled in 2022 for the third year.
President Amanda Swaney said, "We are feeling extremely confident that our show will be a great day out for families, especially those newcomers to our town since COVID."
As a recipient of the Kids Go Free Grant last year, all children under 18 have free admission to this year's Mansfield Show.
The theme for 2023 is a "Celebration of the Horse", and there will be plenty of equine action with a revised horse program, which includes Off the Track competition and Stockman's Obstacle Challenge.
Mrs Swaney said, "In a world-first there will be a zero-turn lawnmower cutting event with Wazzacow which is being sponsored by Mansfield Power Ag."
She describes the invitation-only event as featuring a mechanical cow set up between two posts.
Then, the competitor drives the zero-turn mower (while wearing a seat belt) back and forth, imitating a cutting horse working a cow.
Other attractions besides the usual show day displays include Stuart Bryant, whip-cracking with his two young sons, and Reptile Encounters.
"The Luncheon Pavilion will be serving fresh scones, jam and cream for morning tea," said Mrs Swaney.
The Mansfield A&P president initiated a membership drive earlier this year to re-engage with the Mansfield and district community to encourage locals to support the Mansfield Show after not having one for three years.
Committee members did a letterbox drop, and one lucky member will win an incentive prize of a Dyson Vacuum cleaner donated by a sponsor to be drawn at the end of show day.
Final words from Rod Bowles, "COVID interruptions have impacted many organisations, and it is hoped that life can get back to some normality without the interruption of other elements testing the survival of the annual shows".
