THE Border and North East show season is well under way, with Culcairn and Walbundrie holding their events on the NSW long weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Culcairn held its show on Saturday and secretary Elaine Krause said while not as big as last year's centenary event, the show society was more than happy with its gate takings of about $6600.
"It was a beautiful day and our horse entries were really up," she said.
"And while the pavilion entries were down a bit, entries in other areas of the show made up for that.
"We had 360 entries for the dog show, which is a great figure."
Mrs Krause said the inaugural shearing and wool handling competition was a massive success.
"It was fantastic and can only make our show better," she said.
"The thing about it is that it helps bring our local farmers back.
"And that is what we will be doing, bringing a new innovation into the show every year.
"We are very proud of our show and believe it is the best going around."
The high temperature and strong winds definitely had an effect on the 103rd Walbundrie Show on Monday, according to show secretary Brenda Lieschke, who was awarded life membership at the official opening.
"Some stallholders packed up and went home early because it was very hard to operate in the conditions," she said.
"But we still had a gate of about $16,000, which is still pretty good.
"Horse entries were down a little bit but we had good entry numbers for the pavilion and wool was up."
Mrs Lieschke said the shearing competitions were massive.
"We had 71 entries over six events," she said.
"There was tremendous interest on how gun shearer Jason Wingfield, who has won the last five open competitions, was going to go.
"The society put the prize money up from $1000 to $1500 and Jason put in $100 of his own money.
"In the end they got him, with Wayne Hosie finishing first, Brent Armour second and Jason third.
"He was under a lot of pressure but was very gracious in defeat, saying the time had come for someone else to take the trophy but that he would be back again next year and don't write him off."
And the women got into the act as well.
"This year we had a ladies division, with a mother and daughter entry in Helen Guttler and her daughter Nikki," Mrs Lieschke said.
"Helen finished third and Nikki fourth, behind the winner Stef Kauschus, and Donna Dunn."