For the third year in a row the Kyabram Agricultural Horticultural and Pastoral Society Show has been cancelled — the society’s executive now in ongoing discussions with the state body to secure a new date in December for the event.
Society secretary Janelle McDonald was unable to confirm a new date for the event, but suggested either December 3 or 10 was likely to get the nod of the state officials.
“We are tossing around a date early in December. There is a spot on the schedule early in December,” Mrs McDonald said.
Victorian A&P Society executive officer Rod Bowles, based in Bendigo, is in support of the date change and the final decision will rest with the executive of the Kyabram society.
“We are thinking of making it a Christmas show, which is something that was supported by the state body,” Mrs McDonald said.
There is still some hope, if the rain stops in the next 24 hours, that some carnival-type entertainment will be held at the showgrounds this Saturday (October 15).
Carnival operators have been at the showgrounds for the best part of the last week, having just completed the Shepparton show.
Prior to the heavy rainfall they had set up their equipment and today approached the Kyabram show society secretary about being allowed to put on some sort of event for the community.
“They don’t want to damage the ground by trying to drive out while it is so wet, so they will be there until they can safely drive out,” Mrs McDonald said.
“If the ground is fine enough they hope to open up on Saturday afternoon.”
People attending the potential carnival will have to park outside the showgrounds and walk in.
“There is a showbag guy there, along with some of the rides and other entertainment,” she said.
“We will let people know via facebook on Saturday if it goes ahead.
“People should keep an eye out, because there could be an event at the showgrounds.”
Just two weeks before the 2020 show, COVID-19 protocols forced the show society’s executive committee to make the heart-breaking decision to inform exhibitors, carnival operators and the community that the show would not be taking place.
In 2021 the decision to cancel the show was made much easier because of heavy restrictions, which had been in place for the best part of 18 months.
This year’s decision was made on the back of heavy rainfall and a rain-soaked showgrounds, which made it unsafe for pedestrian traffic, let alone animals and vehicles.
Mrs McDonald’s early morning decision to pack her gumboots in the car before she left for the secretary’s office at Kyabram showgrounds today was indicative of the call to cancel, which came only half an hour or so after her arrival at what has become affectionately known as her “second home”.
“We made the call at 8.30am. Craig Matthews (president of Kyabram AH&P Society) and Graeme Joiner (superintendent of cattle and a life member) helped me to make the decision,” she said.
“I really didn’t want to make the call myself, but the three of us agreed.
“This is the first time I can remember that we have cancelled the entire show because of wet conditions.
“We’ve cancelled the horse show because of the wet, but I’ve been here for 40 years and I can’t remember it being this wet.”
The society secretary has spent almost the entire day contacting judges, exhibitors, entertainers and other organisations, such as St John Ambulance, to inform them of the situation.
And the decision comes at a rather significant cost to the society.
“We’ve paid for a lot of things up front and bought a lot of prizes for things like the pet parade,” Mrs McDonald said.
“Fortunately a lot of the trophies are donated and we don’t put dates on the sashes any more.
“We have about $5000 worth of sashes.”
A major saving has also been made after the secretary and her son purchased their own printer, which they used to produce a few hundred schedules for the various categories of the show.
Mrs McDonald said she hoped the new December date of the show would also include the horse, cattle and other agricultural judging components of the show
"We would like to move the whole show to the new date,“ she said.
“I am hoping to have the date locked in by the end of the week.”
The cookery and craft competition is going ahead and judging is being completed in the secretary’s office on Friday morning.
Kyabram Show is not the only event to suffer from the wet, with the Koondrook show cancelled as of 1pm today.
The dog show, which was cancelled yesterday, is another of the major drawcards to the show, now sidelined.