![PRESERVING SKILLS: Peter Artridge, of Mullengandra, joins other shearers in a blade shearing display during last year's Culcairn Show. PRESERVING SKILLS: Peter Artridge, of Mullengandra, joins other shearers in a blade shearing display during last year's Culcairn Show.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/zVtrQGhRGBmiD3RNa8bKgt/67e62c65-c5c1-45eb-8f7d-167886ce4bea.jpg/r0_530_5184_3375_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
THE first Saturday in October is Culcairn Show day, whatever a certain sporting event may think.
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Culcairn Show Society secretary Dee Wolter said the committee looked forward to sunny weather and lots of people attending the town’s 102nd show.
“Despite the football," she said.
"They can check radio or they can check Facebook for scores but our priority is 'It's showtime'."
Mrs Wolter is also secretary of the shearing and woolhandling competition, introduced last year and a key part of the day’s schedule.
Competitors can vie for medals as the most successful shearer, provided they compete in both the Culcairn and the Walbundrie events.
"Bit of a friendly between the two," she said.
The shearers will be judged on both their quality and their speed and obviously many contenders are still deciding whether to take part.
"It's been the same as last year,” Mrs Wolter said.
“Not many pre-entries but on the day we'll get a few, they all just come at once."
The youngsters haven’t been forgotten either, with sheep cut-outs waiting to be shorn by little hands.
"We've got some wooden handpieces as well and the kids are going to shear some shaving cream off the cute little sheep,” the secretary said.
"Because there are so many kids, we thought it would be nice to include them.
“Some of them can shear pretty well too."
Proceeds from the fleece competition will go to the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, with entrants invited to donate their fleece to the cause. Last year’s fleeces contributed more than $4000 to the appeal.
Away from the sheep, the show committee hopes to repeat the record number of dog show and horse event entries received last year.
Beef cattle and poultry will also be on display, with competitors travelling from as far as Benalla to take part in the latter.
Those keen on farm produce, fruit, horticulture, baking, jams and preserves, crafts, photography and art will have plenty of opportunities to view the best the region has to offer.
A pet show and the Miss Showgirl and Showboy titles, for babies to nearly 18 years, will round off the children’s activities, along with the popular sideshows and rides.
"It is a small show,” Mrs Wolter said.
“One of the smaller ones, but it is going along nicely.”