Memories of past Shows

Do you remember...
  • Jimmy Sharman’s boxing tent were Bruce Harper along with many other locals tried their skills at fighting?
  • Knocking dollies and win a box of chocolates?
  • The shooting gallery?
  • The Ghost train?
  • Pygmy tent /people show?
  • Preparing for the show? Making sure that the harness was in good repair for the trip to town? Staying the weekend in town with relatives if possible?
  • Picnic lunch (atmosphere) under the gum trees? Then later on dinner in the luncheon pavilion prepared by the Hospital Committee and later the RSL women?
  • Wearing a hat and gloves – a new outfit each year. The show was the highlight on the social calendar for the year? Everyone went.
  • Ring on hoopla and ringing the bell when you hit the red button with a sledge hammer? ROLL- UP- ROLL- UP EVERYONE WINS A PRIZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • When everyone loved to watch the ring exhibits and the Grand Parade?
  • Junior showgirl judging and presentation in front of the Grandstand with the Miss Showgirl announcement. Mrs. Esme Trotter was the first showgirl coordinator with Ms Chater.
  • 2 bob (shillings) for the rides (cheap!!)
  • The dome where two motor bikes were ridden to the top?
  • Mermaid in a tank of water were you could only see she her head and tail & she could talk!
  • Harry Eames (senior) had the carousel merry-go-round?
  • All got excited for the grand parade - Friday to Saturday
  • Tents not vans in sideshow alley?
  • Men standing outside tents with a mega phone to try and attract people to go into the attraction?
  • Water pistols? Boys spraying water on all of the spectators?
  • Trick men? Cards, balls, palm reader who told the future - girls would be excited to get their fortune read.
  • The shearing competition in the front of the sheep pavilion? The shearing equipment was run by a portable shearing stand, powered by a tractor & belt pulley loaned by Reg Kelly and Jim Crowley. The gun shearer at the time was Ken Goldman.
  • Sheep counting competition, fat steer show, guess the weight of the steer, guess the height of the pole, throwing the broom, throwing at wicket, high jump, stepping the distance, throwing the sheath?
  • Motor events - slow race - all cars in top gear, musical chairs, bending race, flag race?
  • Bending race for motor cycles?
  • Special prize for the best horse bought at Flanagans sale?
  • Tandem teams over three jumps?
  • Horse event – the rescue race?
  • The broadcasting box in the middle of the ring?
  • The Jumping competition in the ring with Bob & Peter Grant high jumping an Australian record and performing water jump tricks on horses?
  • The female circus rider who fell from her horse over the jumping exhibition and was injured and later died from her injuries?
  • The Sheep pavilion being built in 1910 by Grandfather Hagan?
  • 1988 – Centenary of Australia celebrations held at the showground. Fiona Coote was the guest of honor.​

Sydney Morning Herald Thursday, March 12, 1936.
BARRABA SHOW
BARRABA Wednesday – The first day of the show was favoured with fine weather. There was a good attendance including many visitors, from districts throughout the North West. Entries while not as large in some sections as usual, due to a dry summer were satisfactory. There were record entries of sheep. Principal awards include –
            Farm produce - Soft wheat: A Carter (67½lb), Hard wheat: A Carter (68½lb), Maize yellow: EP Mallase, Potatoes: EP Mallase, Water melon: E Brett, Pie melon: H B Jobson, Table pumpkin: H E Jobson, Tomatoes: Mrs King, Six stalks white corn with cobs: W S Jones, Six stalks yellow corn with cobs: W J Tufrey, Collection of vege – tables: W J Tufrey, Gramma: A Mahommed Deen, , Extracted honey: Mrs S J Saunders, Local butter: Mrs S J Saunders, Hen eggs: L Sawyer, Duck eggs: L Sawyer.
            Fruit – Collection: W J Tufrey, Apples: Ross McKid, Quinces: C J Crowley, Peaches: Ross McKid, Plums: W J Tufrey, Nectarines: W J Tufrey, Grapes: C W Smith.
            Wool – Fleeces Superfine: V E Belfield, fine skirted: R G Spencer, medium skirted: F F McClung, strong skirted: C W Smith, fleece commercial value skirted: A H Smith.
   Cattle:
          Durhams - Bulls 2 – 3 years & Bull 1½ - 2 years: H W Capel, 1- 1½ years: George Capel, Bull calf: H W Capel.
Cow 3 years or over G Capel, Cow 2-3 years H W Capel, Heifer 1½- 2 years Banoon Station, 1 -1½ years H W Capel, Heifer calf Banoon Station, Pen of three Durham breeding cows G Capel, Pen of three Durham breeding Heifers H W Capel, Cow 2-4 years H W Capel, Cow with calf at foot H W Capel.
          Herefords - Bull 2-3 years: Ironbark Pastoral Company, Bull 1 - 1½ years: J S and F Vickery, Champion Bull: J S and F Vickery.
Champion Cow: J S and F Vickery, Cow 3 years or over: Ironbark Pastoral Company, Heifer: 1½ - 2 years J S and F Vickery, Heifer calf under 12 months: J S and F Vickery, Pen of heifers under 2 years: J S and F Vickery.   
         Devons - Bull 2 years and over, Bull 1-2 years.
Cow 2 years and over, Cow 1-2 years, heifer: John Cootes.
         Group any breed 2 years and over: George Capel, Pen of three fat bullocks 4 years: Banoon Station, Fat Bullock: Banoon Station, Fat Cow: Banoon Station, Pen of 3 fat steers suitable for export: H W Capel, Fat steers under 27 months any breed or cross: Banoon Station, Fat steers under 18 months any breed or cross: H W Capel.
        Aberdeen Angus - Bullock - V J Byrnes, Aberdeen Angus heifer calf under 12 months: V J Byrnes.
 
  
Sydney Morning Herald Saturday , March 4, 1911.
BARRABA SHOW
BARRABA – The official opening of the show took place to-day, when Hon. F Flowers, M.L.C, Vice President of the Executive Council performed the ceremony. There were over 2000 people present. The weather was beautiful. Additional awards were:-
            Hereford Cattle – Bull 3yrs: C.Cook, Bull 1yr: C Coote, Calf: C Coote,
Cow 3 yrs: C Coote, Cow 2 yrs: C Coote, Heifer, 1yr: C Coote, Calf: C Coote.
          Fat Cattle - Pen of three fat bullocks: H Crowley, Fat Cow: D Capel.
          Dairy Cattle - Jersey Bull 3yrs: F A Cheesebrough. Jersey Cow: F A Cheesebrough.
         Champion Durham bull: H Crowley, Champion Durham bull: J M cKid.
Farmers and selectors stock bull, 3yrs: C G Williams, Farmers and selectors stock bull, 1yr: T A Crowley.
Calf: W H White, Cow 3yrs J McKid 1st, J W White 2nd, Cow 2yrs: J McKid 1st, TA Crowley 2nd, Calf: J McKid, Pen 3 breeding cows: J McKid.
            Merino Sheep – 1 housed ram, six tooth and over: P Mullins 1st and Champion, 1 housed ram, four tooth: H Hall, 1 housed ram, two tooth: J C Groth,
Ewe six tooth and over: H Hall, Ewe four tooth: P Mullins, Ewe two tooth: H Hall, Strong combing ram, six tooth or over: P Mullins, Strong combing ram, two tooth: J C Groth.
           Lincoln - Ram, six tooth and over: J Coote jun, Lincoln ram four tooth: J Coote., Ewe six tooth and over: J Coote, Ewe four tooth: J Coote.
           Fat sheep - Pen of three merino wethers: T Sawyer, Merino wether: T Sawyer, Crossbred wether: Booth Bros, Pet lamb: Mrs Butler.
           Farmers and selectors sheep - merino, unhoused, five medium combing, rams, six tooth and over: P Mullins, merino, unhoused, five medium combing, rams, four tooth and over: H Hall, unhoused, five medium combing, rams, two tooth and over: H Hall.
          Pen three ewes: H Hall, Ewe six tooth: H Hall, Ewe four tooth: H Hall.
Strong combing ram, six tooth and over: P Mullins 1st and Champion, Strong combing ram, four tooth:  H Hall, Strong combing ram, two tooth: P Mullins.
          Ewe six tooth and over: F A Cheesebrough, Ewe four tooth: H Hall, Ewe two tooth: H Hall.
         Farm Produce - Two bushels white wheat: HB Jackson, Two bushels red wheat: HB Jackson, Bag potatoes: G Capel. Six water melons: R Hagan, Six sugar melons: J Fenn, Six Pie melons: F Currell, bag chaff: J Booth, Collection of potatoes: D Capel, Collection farm produce: F Currell,
​Collection of vegetables: S J Lillis, Collection of fruit: Jas Salter, 7cwt Lucerne hay: J Booth, 7cwt wheaten hay: J Booth.