Page 5 - The Outdoor Showman July-September 2022

Celebrating the 160th Annual Spring Show
Clunes Show Celebrates
its 160th Birthday
Not too many community organisations get to celebrate a 160th birthday
but that’s what will be happening
when the Central Victorian town
of Clunes goes to its local Show on
the third Saturday in November this year. Saturday November 19th 2022 will represent the 160th running of
this iconic country Show. Of course
it should have happened two years
ago, but the COVID pandemic meant that the celebratory beer has had to stay in the fridge for a bit longer.
That certainly hasn’t dampened the resolve of the active local committee which runs this Show. (Watch out
for them in their distinctive emerald green shirts on Show day.) The 30 odd members lead by President Jenny Redpath represent a combination
of youth and experience and the philosophy of the committee has always been to foster and promote young people into leadership roles. There is little doubt that this is a key element to the ongoing success of the Society.
Brief History
Originally formed as the “Glendaruel Agricultural Society” conducting ploughing matches and grain shows, by 1865 it became the “Glendaruel, Beckwith and Clunes Agricultural Society”. It underwent several other name changes until in the 1960’s
it became the “Clunes and District Agricultural Society”, the name
by which it is still known today. Throughout this time the Society
has had many highs and lows. The minutes record that there were several occasions when a vote was taken to decide whether to continue holding
a show or disband altogether. But
the community always rallied and today the Show continues to go from strength to strength. There have been scorching hot days and the occasional wet day, but glorious spring weather
on most occasions. Drought years and many very good seasons contributed to varying attendances. Wars, depressions and now COVID also took their toll.
The Clunes Show has always shown
a wonderful exhibition from local
and surrounding districts, of stock, machinery and homecraft exhibits, illustrating the abilities and dedication of both the farmers and town’s people to produce only the best products. Whilst some of the classes on display at the Show have remained over
the years, others are definitely a sign of their times. Entrants to the 1868 Show were invited to display
in the following categories:- Pair of plough horses, Pair of buggy ponies, Best shod draught horse, Swine, varying classes for machinery and implements, Salted butter not less than 12 lb, Two cheeses not less than
8 lb, Two sides of cured bacon, 12
bottles of red or white wine. Under the heading “Extra Exhibits” the following curiosities were shown: Bone dust
and superphosphate of lime, box for conveying pigs, model break for railway carriage, 200 bricks made in Clunes, cheese press and curd mill, samples of rope made in Clunes, and even a pair of swans hatched under a Spanish hen! And 100 years on, the Committee of
the day invited entries in the Ladies Broom Throwing Competition. This must have been quite a thing in its time, and spectators were invited to “Watch Miss Margaret Cameron in action!”. The rules were “Broom to be thrown from within an 8ft dia. Circle and measured
to the nearest point of the broom.” The referee, Mr L Diplock was described as the “Official World Referee” which makes you wonder how many of them there actually, officially were at the time. Anyway, Miss Margaret Cameron
must have been quite the lady
because she won the event with an amazing throw measuring 96ft 10in. That same Show advertised a Tyre Changing Competition and a Ladies Wood Chop. Indeed the title of
Ladies Wood Split champion is one
still keenly competed for today.
Recollections
The Society’s official historian Robert Campbell set down much of the Society’s history in his publication “The Best
Show Ever: A History of the Clunes and District Agricultural Society” produced for the Show’s 150th anniversary.
The book spills with interesting and funny anecdotes, but an amusing one comes from former President Garry Fenton who remembers a Show in the late 1960’s when, after
4 THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN