The Show !!

Growing up in our small local town ,one of the big highlights was the annual agricultural show organized by the hard working PAH &I  Association..
I used to look forward to it with such enthusiasm and anticipation.
Our school used to suddenly swell in numbers for a week with the children of the  traveling show people.My mum was always involved with the  behind the scenes activities that revolve around a show.
We used to have many wonderful rides, the flying horses, ferris wheel, dodgem cars, the Octopus, smaller rides for littlies, and a long varied Sideshow Alley as well as food vendors, selling  my favourite  Dagwood Dogs and Fairy Floss. One year I remember winning the "Best Dressed Teenager" award.
There was a full day  of ring events,  lots of  machinery and  equipment displays, a huge pavilion  full of  competition entries in all   possible  areas of interest.
There was a  bar,ghost house , boxing tent  and so many more things that have long been forgotten.
Since being back here the last two years  full time, we have involved ourselves a little with the show,   It seems such a shame that it appears  to have shrunk so much, but the spirit behind the  organizing and running of the day has not. !!!
 An amazing team  of people  behind the scenes start planning this   great day almost a year  before, and what a  wonderful job they do.
While we were there  this time we took an aerial view of the showground.

This year  I was invited to set up  a canning preserving)  display as  popularity in this area has waned a fair bit over the last decade or two and entries in this field  are down  to what they used to be.

Vera, the Steward for the preserving  told me that the display created a lot of interest , and many people stopped to ask questions and  to just have a look.

There were a reasonable number of entries this year in the preserving section.

 I was very surprised at the end of the day to  find I had  placed well in many of the preserving catagories, receiving 6  first place , 5 second place and 5 third place certificates .

Sadly  due to the extreme  weather conditions  we have been experiencing  in this area, the fruit and vegetable and garden produce entries were down  in numbers by a considerable degree.

There was a brilliant sewing /craft section  with some  amazing  entries that won well deserved prizes.

There was a great photographic display, which I think I will enter next year.

Some very  talented artists displayed their work,This is just a peek.

The school and preschool displayed  the children's work,

There were cakes decorated by the  kids,

Outside  there was much to see and do, There were sheep dog trials,

Sheep  and cattle judging ,

Lots of horse events  throughout the day,

 Poultry exhibition, and face painting for the children,

Wood chop competitions,

Vintage car display,

We also had a fellow who endeavored to  show us how wonderful and beautiful snakes are,  I  have to admit , that was one  display that I didn't get up and personal  with.

But the petting zoo with the baby animals was another matter, although I  have to  say , I feel that  this was one area that needs to be rethought for next year.  The animals spent way to much time in the hot sun and there was very little supervision of the children handling them all day long.

There were a couple of  rides for the kids, the dodgem cars,

A jumping castle, and  a  floating ball  ride,

There were  a couple of stalls in Side Show Alley  and of course my favourite one selling those   special Fairy Floss and Dagwood Dogs.( No show would be complete without them).

Our very industrious Lions Club ran the    BBQ stall, supplying steak and rissole sandwiches, kebabs, drinks and the like all day long. The  ladies also did a wonderful job serving morning teas and lunches  to the hungry hordes at the pavilion.

There were many  other stalls located around the showground selling all sorts of produce, and some just  showing community   services , like our amazing Rural fire Service.

 All of them seemed to  be quite well  visited  on the day .
Although our  once much bigger  show has shrunk in size , the community spirit, and  hard work by countless  people  behind the scenes has not, and indeed actually has grown as more work in organizing such an event has now fallen onto  far less shoulders.
The local PAH &I Association should well be proud of themselves, they  planned , organized and executed a wonderful day with a calendar full of  events.
I am proud to be part of this small community that bands together and produces excellence like this.
Well Done Binnaway PAH&I Association, Great Job . !!!
I  look forward in anticipation to next year,
It has been a  massive few weeks here, and I feel like I am chasing my tail trying to keep up, little lone get ahead, so until we meet up again down the track,
take care of you and yours,
Cheers,
Jane. :-) :-) :-)