The crowd at Walbundrie Show. Pictures: TARA GOONAN

Evie Torrens, 5, and her sister Elka, 4, of Walla Walla, dressed themselves up and their horse Taffy in the fun and encouragement section of the show.

Hamish Lieschke, 8, and his sister Izzy, 7, of Walbundrie, riding horse Charlotte in the fun and encouragement section of the show.

Michael Sarroff, of Albury, gets a hug from Giselle, his standard poodle.

Click or flick across for more photos from the show.

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WALBUNDRIE Show began with a “royal” touch yesterday when the elegant Clare McDonald declared open the 99th annual event.

Miss McDonald was this year’s Miss Showgirl at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in April, a title that also makes her the city show’s ambassador for rural women in NSW for a year.

An agronomist based at West Wyalong, she was at Walbundrie with her partner, Tim Robinson, of Albury stock and station agency Paull and Scollard, who has long been a regular visitor to the show.

Miss McDonald won the Royal Show title after being the showgirl at Condobolin, where her parents still farm.

She was among more than 400 young women who competed, with judges assessing them on presentation, confidence, life skills, and rural and general knowledge.

Walbundrie Show president Max Webb was pleased with a crowd he estimated at 5000 to 6000 and a gate exceeding $11,700.

Dog and horse sections and the Southern Riverina Strong Wool shearing events all attracted strong entries.

An Australorp entered by Ron and Jan Sohier was the poultry section’s grand champion.

The show traditionally draws entries from rival CWA branches for arts, crafts and cookery, with Jindera CWA being named the best branch yesterday.

An iced sponge made by Margaret Voss was declared the “champion piece of cookery”, surrounded by shelves of cakes and delicacies made by loving hands, with flowers and numerous knitted and crochet items displayed nearby.

Here and there were old-fashioned things made by schoolgirls, such as three wool “egg cosies” that won Lara Rayner a first prize.

Walbundrie show is one of the first shows on the annual circuit for “showies” with their rides and stalls, some of them based in Brisbane with the habit of migrating south every spring.

Dodgems, a spider-like Cha Cha roundabout and a Tornado wheel were popular at $6 or $7 a ticket, with the Blue Whale inflated slide popular with the younger children.

Mr Webb said preparations had already begun for the 100th show next year, with antique farm machinery expected to be an added attraction.