Over the years the list of past committee members of the Wodonga Show reads like a who’s who of Wodonga. The foundation committee was formed in 1947 and the first show was in March 1948.
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Charlie Pollard, M.B.E. foundation president. Charlie was also shire president for three terms.
Robert Richardson, president from 1949 to 1961. Dealing in stock, he was known to arrange the walking of stock from Roma to Wodonga for sale. He was at one time captain of the Rural Fire Brigade and turf club president for more than 30 years.
Jack Hamilton-Smith, president, 1962 to 1974. Jack was a horseman, a breeder, rider, exhibitor and judge. Hamilton-Smith Drive was named after him.
Dot Lindsay, secretary, 1950 to 1959. Apart from all things administrative, Dot’s passion was dogs which she bred, showed and cared for.
Nance Sumner, assistant secretary, 1950-1992. Nance came on board to help her friend Dot Lindsay. Together they worked from Dot’s home apart from the occasions when the show society would rent a shopfront close to showtime to take entries. Nance used the old-fashioned cut and paste to prepare schedules, cutting up the old schedule, making amendments and pasting into a new arrangement.
Ernie Mann, foundation member. Ernie started the Mann family business in 1920, which expanded in size and products over many years.
Bert Reuss head steward of the horticultural pavilion. He held the job for 30 years. In early days, possums tried to take bites out of the exhibited fruit and vegetables overnight. Bert stopped that by sprinkling the produce with pepper.
George Coyle, early committeeman. His specialty was sheep and dairy cattle. George was chief steward for the sheep pavilion and was a generous and regular donor to the ladies auxiliary of which his wife Blanche was a foundation member.
This Wodonga Show Society committee still works hard all year to plan the show, which will be held this Saturday, March 17.
Uta Wiltshire, Wodonga Historical Society
Do you have an old picture from the Wodonga show? We’d love to see it, click here.