Show Day Memories

As a child, the local agricultural show meant everything. Every cent was saved throughout the year and many hours were spent coming up with new ideas on how to get more money to spend on the day......

One of the most lucrative ideas I had was to check on the laundry window sill every day to collect what money Mum had rescued from Dad's work pants (totally not stealing right?) As the day drew near I would prepare many items to put in the pavilion and am quite proud of the fact that I have my name on a trophy for most points collected one year in the junior division! Of course, the day of the show was an absolute delight! First checking out how you went against everyone else in the pavilion, patiently waiting with Mum while Dad had an extremely long chat with the small machinery club, sitting down to eat a sausage while you watched in awe at the log chop event and being dumbfounded as to how Mum could win so many rounds on the Lions Club Chocolate Wheel... I'm sure it was rigged!

 

Once we had seen enough of the showjumping and checking out the livestock section it was FINALLY time to spend all that hard-earned money (come on getting up high enough to see what money was on the sill was a hard feat). Sideshow Alley...What can you say? It is where all the children end up when their parents aren’t watching, it's where you discover just how afraid you are of heights and where you discover the stench of teenage vomit.... Ahhhh the good old Gravitron. You always have to have a go on the clowns even though you always win a sticky hand and not the giant bear. I actually really loved those sticky hands but pretty much 5 minutes after opening them they were covered in half your cat and some of Dad's old toenail clippings.

          

Photos from The Collie Agricultural Society - Collie Show Facebook page

You buy the biggest show bags and have these illusions of the lollies lasting you months yet by the next morning they are gone. The toy that came in the bag breaks three days later and the backpack came with a hole already created in the base, but you don't care! It was AMAZING! The next week at school was spent comparing with your friends, what they did and what they bought and you’re on a high, perhaps sugar high, but a high none the less. Then thoughts turn to next year and it begins all again.

 

As an adult, I still get the same enjoyment. I get to see the look on my children’s faces as they experience what I did back in the day and now I get to fully enjoy and understand the displays and stalls. It has been many years since I actually entered anything into the pavilion but this year things are going to change. Storm and I are having a rather heated competition to see who can win the most points. I truly do not envy who gets to judge my marmalade! We shall keep you all up to date with the lead up to this year’s Collie Show and let you know how we go. Either way, it is going to be a blast!

For the 2016 Collie Show Pavillion Schedule click here.