Holbrook Show 2022 cancelled, but collaboration in place for future

Greater Hume Council is funding the $385,139 redevelopment at Holbrook's football oval, along with three other sportsground projects in Culcairn, Henty and Jindera.

Show Society president Marylou Hodges said the show's horse events, a major attraction, were held at the Holbrook Equestrian Centre last year, separated from the rest of the event at the showgrounds.

"It wasn't a money making thing," she said.

"People will say that horse people come for the horse events, but there's quite a few horse people that have chooks, or dog high jumpers, or dashing dachshunds, or other interests, so they like to be in one spot in the shade and then just wonder around after the event."

IN OTHER NEWS:

Society secretary Rita Bowler said the show had tried offering passouts last year, but they were unsuccessul.

"People don't go from one venue to the other, they'll bring their horses, do their horse stuff and go home... but they wont travel to another venue.

"They might say to the children, look we'll be here until whatever, here's some money go and the rides or go and have a look at the pavilion or whatever, but they won't do both if you're in two venues."

Ms Hodges said she was more than disappointed.

"If there's another word for disappointed then I would use that, because Rita and I both have vested interests in the show society," she said.

"Our great grandparents, and grandparents and parents were always involved and so that's were we learnt our community spirit from.

"So to be able to provide something and pay back that community spirit I think that was important, it's always been important to me."

Ms Bowler said the cancellation would mean a financial loss for the community, but the social loss would be more widely felt.

"It's the social loss, because it's the people who want to put their photos in and showcase something," she said.

"I've had phone calls already from people who were ready to exhibit at Henty, they can't.

"So they've rung and said 'please don't tell us you're cancelling the show, because we really want to put this stuff in'."

The Henty Show was cancelled for the third time in a row this year.

Ms Hodges said the Show Society was already thinking about next year's show.

"We're spending the next 14 months just absolutely planning the best show you've ever been to," she said.

"We're being collaborative as well, initially it was a bit of a kick in the guts, but we're working on it.

"We're being collaborative with the other sporting users on that grounds and we've tried to be collaborative with council."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: