Page 21 - The Outdoor Showman APR-JUN 2019

A compulsory stop for families at the Sydney Royal Easter Show was the Farmyard Nursery. This is a traditional Show experience, introducing young ones to farm life. Scratching around amongst the children, the chickens are content to be gently touched and even imitated, indeed all the animals in the Farmyard Nursery seem to know they are amongst friends.
Another hands-on experience, one
that focuses on the farm more than
the baby animals, Little Hands on the Land was the perfect introduction to farming for anyone aged under 10. This kid-sized working farm took our pre and primary-school aged primary producers from the crop to the shop... Picking fruit and vegetable crops, milking the cows, shearing the sheep and even collecting some honey from the bees, little farmers settled in and took time to explore and learn and get their hands dirty before they traded their crops for a treat in the supermarket.
Some things are best taught by the experts and milking a cow definitely falls into this category. Luckily, the Dairy Farmers Milking Barn was open to demonstrate exactly how to milk a cow,
what a healthy cow should eat, how to keep a cow happy and the incredible range of delicious and nutritious products that can be made with fresh cow’s milk.
Legends of Australian folklore, sheep shearers clicked their shears and their hands moved quick. And they gave demonstrations and told their tall tales every day at the Sheep Shearing demonstrations.
For the second year, we ran away with the circus, putting on The Greatest Easter Show Spectacular and delivering A Million Dreams. Our evening entertainment was the best show in town, with Hot Air Balloon Aerialists, the Sphere of Fear, Motorcycle Highwire Trapeze Aerialists, Extreme Vaulting, Australian Stockmen and Glowing Mystical Horses.
Show food had all tastebuds taken care
of, from the upmarket dining in The Loft restaurant inside The Stables to the on- trend Food Truck Feedlot and the family friendly Tucker Box. There was Sydney Royal produce, the Sydney Royal Easter Show’s very own ShowStopper beer on tap and every day a different regional Show society hosted the Big Bush BBQ – raising funds for their own community.
With the entire state of New South Wales in drought, the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Chief Executive Brock Gilmour believes the importance of competing and taking time away from the farm was beneficial for exhibitors and Showgoers alike.
“Whilst the Show is a celebration of country traditions and an opportunity to promote agricultural excellence, this year there was a tremendous feeling of appreciation as well,” he said.
“It was encouraging to see Showgoers talking to competitors, learning more about their lives and the impact of the drought. As the largest annual ticketed event in Australia, the Show provides the chance to say ‘thank you’ - on a massive scale - to farmers, breeders and growers, and to unite us all as a community”.
Brock Gilmour Chief Executive Officer
THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN 19