The Henty Machinery Field Days will go ahead next year - albeit very different from years gone by.
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After confirmation from NSW Health on Thursday that agricultural and country shows will go ahead from January thanks to new COVID-safe guidelines, the field days committee celebrated the news Henty would be back in 2021.
Chief executive Belinda Anderson said they were working with NSW Health, as are all field days and show committees, to work out a plan.
"The guidelines state a cap of 5000 people at the moment, but given the size of our site and that we are mostly outdoors we are hoping by September that number can be pushed out," she told The Border Mail.
"It will be a bit like this year, just waiting to see what we can and can't do.
"But we are thrilled that we can hold the field days in some capacity next year.
"It was really tough to cancel the event this year, but by our dates next year we will see how other field days are run and be really clear on what we can and can't do."
It is almost six months since the NSW government first indicated shows could proceed, but no shows were able to meet the COVID safety plans, with demands on volunteer staff and a four-square-metre social distancing rule proving difficult to maintain.
NSW Health has finally given the green light that means up to 5000 people can attend a country show, with the proviso there are COVID marshalls and contact tracing in place.
ASC president Tim Capp said he was "over the moon" country shows could proceed from the start of 2021.
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"It's fantastic for regional shows that they can start planning for a COVID-safe way ahead in 2021," he said.
"But I think they will be a lot different to the past."
He expected events would be held over a longer period, a situation some show societies may have to confront with leasing areas.
He said shows would also be more spread out which was entirely feasible given the expansive nature of country showgrounds.
Mr Capp said he would be in discussion with the Showman's Guild next week to make sure sideshows would be part of the country show experience.
"The showies have been operating in a COVID-safe way in Queensland, so I can't see why they couldn't do the same here," he said. "Fortunately we are in a position where we can operate in a large area, so that gives us room to meet COVID restrictions."
Show societies would be supported to find COVID marshalls required in many areas of the showground.
