Rodney Stevens
Annoying showers didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of locals who attended the Maclean Show last week with healthy gate numbers and record cattle entries making the 130th show one to remember.
Maclean Show Society secretary Pru Ensby said despite a few showers, all in all the show was a great success, with the crowds making the most of sunny patches to enjoy the show spectacle.
“The gate numbers were inline with how it has been over the past few years, which was good, and we had kept our gate price which was $10 for adults and $5 for children,” she said.
“The wet weather did play havoc with the main attraction, the KAOS Freestyle Motocross show, as unfortunately due to safety reasons, they could only do three or four runs before they called it quits, which was a bit disappointing.”
Entry numbers in the exhibitions of flowers, farm and garden, cooking, school displays, fine art, photography, poultry and sugar cane were very healthy, Ms Ensby said and enjoyed by people of all ages.
“The art works from the children and the schools were absolutely amazing, the dioramas they put through, the quilting, it was just amazing, we really had some beautiful pieces,” she said.
“It’s so nice to have the kids come up and collect their prizemoney, just to see the joy on their faces is spectacular.
“The parents and the grandparents get such a kick out of seeing their artworks up on the wall on display.”
The Maclean Campdraft Club put on a spectacular performance of ‘The Man from Snowy River’ on the final night.
“They did a wonderful job, hats off to them all, they did a great performance,” Ms Ensby said.
Ms Ensby said the show attracted a record 80 head of cattle being exhibited due to the hard work of cattle steward Ashley Lee and Maclean High Agriculture teacher Chris Kirkland.
“Maclean High School had 33 entries in the cattle exhibition, and they looked wonderful in their show team shirts,” she said.
“They took home many prizes and we also had a couple of studs from the area support us which was wonderful.
“80 head of cattle was just so wonderful to see at the showground this year.”
The ever-popular Showgirl (age 15-17) and Young Woman of The Year (age 18-24) attracted seven entrants, all vying to represent Maclean Show Society.
“The showgirls had three contestants and our winner was Elora Ardrey, and the Young Woman of the Year had four entrants and Maneesha Davis was crowned the winner and a lady new to the area, Stephanie Parsons was our runner up,” Ms Ensby said.
Without the countless volunteer hours it takes to hold the Maclean Show each year and the help of the Maclean Show Society’s generous sponsors, Ms Ensby said the event would not be the success it has for 130 years.
If anybody has any ideas they would like to put forward for the 131st Maclean Show in 2024 please email info@macleanshow.org.au