showy...

Bega AP&H Show today

Bega Show is your typical small country town affair.... 

v. high on the dag factor 

(which accounts for almost all of its appeal as far as I'm concerned)

 

Love watching kiddlies wrangling calves 

(and cows - and one very well behaved bull)

 

 Love the baby animals barn 

(that's where we found our Bootsie cat many years ago...

now if there was a goose on offer today I swear I was going to take that baby home!

it was not to be)

 Love the poultry shed 

(but don't love that each year there are less and less exhibitors)

 I notice that the pool of fruit and veg exhibitors in the show pavillion gets smaller each year too

and the really experienced ones are fast disappearing - 

just imagine all the knowledge these folk have of local growing conditions..... 

and its all slipping away.....

Its the animals and produce, 

jams, cakes and handicrafts that I think are the beating heart of a good show

(up until 2 years ago we took commercial beef cattle to the show each year.... 

damn but I miss those great prizes - we won lovely crystal wine glasses one year)

I was 11yrs old before I went to my first Bega Show 

(I got food poisoning from a sideshow food van....)

I didn't go back to the show until I was 17

(that time I got sick after riding the Cha Cha)

so I've avoided all amusement rides (and food...) ever since!

there's isn't a chance in hell you'd ever see me get on this thing...

indeedy I must admit - the colours, sights and sounds of 'sideshow alley' 

scare the bejezus outta me!

(seriously!)

I fear that in an effort to draw crowds, country shows these days 

are becoming less about agriculture/ horticulture etc 

and more about spectacle

(to pay for those ridiculously HUGE insurance bills I suspect)

Sass and his mates take in the lunchtime entertainment this year....

EEEEK!

oh boy!!!! 

and I thought the Cha Cha was scary!

(am currently figuring out how to put a lock on sassy's motor bike before he gets 'ideas')

.....