Noosa Country Show was hailed a great success with perfect weather, big crowds and a huge array of entertainment, competitions, rides and activities which was all delivered at Pomona Showgrounds last Friday and Saturday without a hitch.
“We had an extremely big show. It was very big Friday and a very big rodeo,” show president Rob Graham said.
Mr Graham said at least 5000 people attended across the two day show, there were spectators across all exhibits and competitions and about 2000 people filled the newly constructed grounds and tiered seating to watch the Honky Tonk rodeo.
“The cooking and craft was full. The vegetables and kids art display was full,” he said.
“The executive are very happy with the way it went.”
Noosa MP Sandy Bolton and Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie joined show president Rob Graham and MC Richard Hansen to officially open the show last Friday and paid tribute to emergency services and volunteers.
“We really want to thank our volunteers. We have 50 people here whether it’s on the gates, the canteen, everywhere. They’re really special people,” Mr Graham said.
“How fantastic is this day – beautiful weather, just the environment, it’s absolutely wonderful,” Ms Bolton said.
“Thank you to all the sponsors and everyone who makes this possible. After attending this show for 30 years it is the volunteers who get to do everything and that makes this community.”
Ms Bolton said it was good to see the tribute paid to the emergency services by the construction of the $250,000 emergency services evacuation centre, named the Iris Maher Donga in honour of her service to the community.
“Our first responders every day put their lives on the line to keep us safe,” she said.
Cr Wilkie said since 1909, volunteers had been keeping the show going and this year the theme was honouring emergency services.
“They’ve shown their value and their worth,” he said.
Emergency services led the grand parade in the main ring, creating a break in the horse events, which dominated the main ring during the day as riders of all ages demonstrated their horsemanship and husbandry involving a range of events, horse breeds and riders from the very young to the very experienced.
After two years of horse riding lessons and a lot of preparation to ensure her 12-year-old Welsh pony Chompy was looking his best, seven-year-old Harper was thrilled to be awarded champion led class and receive a third place in the led rider class.
Laura Widdowson was also pleased to take home the supreme champion award in her first show riding her thoroughbred, The Lawyer, which she has had for only six months.
Local schools featured strongly at the show in the displays, the lineup of entertainment and in demonstrating their agricultural knowledge.
Among them were Noosa District State High School students Charlotte and Sidney who as part of the school’s Cattle Show Team were making sure their cows Sapphire and Tango were in their best condition and well presented for judging before they were judged themselves for their handling of the bovines.
Sidney said the school’s agricultural avenues provided many opportunities for kids including those from city backgrounds and had far reaching advantages and would be highly regarded in her university application.
For Charlotte who was studying a Certificate 3 in Agriculture it furthered her knowledge for her future career working with animals.
As novice exhibitors to the show other kids brought along their animals for the experience, to show them off and for “a bit of fun”.
In the guinea pig section Ember brought her two pets including four-year-old Koa.
Only centimetres from drowning in floods as a baby, Koa was rescued by Ember’s mother who waded through thigh-high water to her house to save the baby and other guinea pigs to whom her daughter is devoted.
“He’s well cared for,” Ember’s mum said of Koa. “She trims his nails, baths him. It’s her passion.”
Ember said she loved cuddling them and spending time with them and brought them to the show for “a bit of fun”.
Steward and first time Noosa show judge Jazmine Riddell said she was hoping to grow the guinea pig section and attract more people in the community to get involved.
“It’s just something for the kids to be in and get involved in the community,” she said.
The Noosa Country Show is a long-standing country institution reflecting the country life of Noosa for the past 114 years.
