Community & Business
14 March, 2024
Pittsworth Show exceeds all expectations
The Pittsworth Show was held on March 8 and 9, with volunteers, exhibitors, competitors, vendors and sponsors declaring the event a resounding success.
Allan Denning, President of the Pittsworth Show Society, said he was really happy with the whole show and the weekend went well.
“The rodeo was a good hit, biggest crowd we’ve ever had.
“We had plenty of entries in the pavilion.
“The weather was good, and we had in excess of 4,200 come through the gate across the whole weekend,” Mr Denning said.
A new section in the horse events this year included a class for disabled riders.
Mr Denning said this went very well, and the horse competitions across both days were of a high standard.
Friday was a day of education for the younger generations, with small groups from St. Stephen’s Primary School, Pittsworth State School, Back Plains State School and Mt. Tyson State School visiting the show as part of the AgVenture program.
Students enjoyed a demonstration of milking a dairy cow and the Snake Boss Reptile show.
Another highlight that
afternoon was the Prime Lamb Auction with approximately 75 fat lambs on offer.
Always one to draw a crowd, the Ray White Rural Pittsworth auction saw the champion pen of lambs, by R. & S. Lindenmayer and M. Adams, come in at an average of 44.8kg, and were sold for $255 each.
The reserve champion pen of lambs, by P. L. &
P. L. Hood, were an average of 58.8kg in the heavier class, and sold for $265 each.
Ted Ellison from the Grass and Sprouts Butchery purchased both pens at the auction.
The Pet Parade on Saturday morning produced some of the most interesting pets and young, bright eyed handlers.
The smallest pet award was given to Gracie Larkham for her hermit crab named ‘Crazy Joe’, a namesake of the crab character from the film Shark Tale.
The woodchop competition had a number of different competitors, men, women and a young adolescent Archie, who has been woodchopping since he was five years old.
The Snake Boss reptile shows were scattered throughout both days, and kids as young as two were able to touch a number of snakes including albino, carpet and jungle pythons.
The official opening ceremony was held at midday on the Village Green.
Pat Weir, Member for Condamine, and Mayor Geoff McDonald attended.
Mr Denning introduced the Showgirls and Junior Rural Ambassador before inviting Mayor McDonald to speak.
His focus was on the longevity and relevance of shows in our day and age, explaining that there is definitely a trend of multiple generations being part of the show movement.
The importance of volunteerism was also highlighted.
“Volunteers are not paid because they’re worthless, they’re not paid because they’re priceless,” Mayor McDonald said.
He explained that the show movement is built on the back of families and volunteers, and that it is the largest volunteer movement in the nation.
“Pittsworth of course, is no different to that.
“The show movement, is definitely all about team work.
“There’s an old saying, ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’, and I think Allan, you made the dream work today with your committee,” the Mayor said.
He explained that there are three key reasons why shows are so critically important, more so now than ever, after the separation and isolation of Covid-19.
To showcase your town - why you live where you do.
To bring communities together.
To educate the younger generation.
“Those areas should be the reason of relevance for shows,” he McDonald said.
Mayor McDonald acknowledged all the exhibitors, competitors, sponsors, volunteers, and the TRC teams who collaborated to pull off this event.
“The backbone of shows are the volunteers.
“The ones who roll their sleeves up.
“They work when no one watches, they get up early in the morning, they stay late at night.
“On the back of the strength of the volunteers,
it gives me great pleasure
on behalf of our community, on behalf of Pat Weir our state member, all of our elected representatives, to officially declare the 117th Pittsworth Show officially open.”
Mr Denning then asked the Show Patron Eddie Fuhlbohm to present a Life Membership to Rhonda Harris.
Mrs Harris was acknowledged for her long standing dedication to the needlework section in the pavilion.
She has been involved in the show for 45 years.
The next regional event is the 116th Oakey Show, on this Saturday, 16 March.
