Cooma Show

Cooma Show champion ribbon

I'm a real sucker for shows. I think it stems back to my childhood when my mum and my aunty took me to the Sydney Royal Easter Show every year. I can remember spending hours trawling my way through mountains of sugary, fatty once a year treats (I still think deep fried cheese on a stick has to be one of the all time best bad foods!), looking at the animals all sleek, shiny and ready to be judged then, right at the end of the day, wandering around the gargantuan show bag hall. Through the eyes of a child, the bright plastic trinkets and lollies pinned to the display boards became immediate must-have items and luckily, mum usually gave in and obliged.

While the country shows I have stumbled across since moving west are on a much smaller scale, they still offer the chance to be a kid again even if it is just for a few hours.

Each country shows also offer a little window into the community which is hosting  it - you get to see the beady eyed stalwarts guarding the exhibitions and casting a critical eye over the entries as well as some of the talented and creative local people proudly hovering around their animals, crafts or cakes in the hope that they might get a ribbon or two.

So in the spirit of the shows, here are a few pictures from the recent Cooma Show - it fell right in the middle of some absolutely terrible weather so a lot of the exhibits were cancelled but there was still plenty to see and do. Enjoy.

Prize winning ram, Cooma Show

Floral display, Cooma Show

Champion eggs, Cooma Show

Australian Federation Guard, Cooma Show

Her Excellency, Governor General Quentin Bryce, Cooma Show

Fruit and vegetable display, Cooma Show

Champion Fleece, Cooma Show

Showbags galore! Cooma Show

Sideshow alley, Cooma Show

Tasty treats?? Cooma Show

Cooma Show

Best seat in the house, chicken snuggling on a sheep, Cooma Show

Ram, Cooma Show

Murrumburrah Harden Spring Show

Horse float and sheds, Murrumburrah Harden Show

The Murrumburrah Harden Show turned 163 this year and showcased everything you would expect to see at a country Ag show. From prize-winning rams to beaut utes, it gives a real taste of the NSW country all dished up on one weekend. 

Prize winning fleece, Murrumburrah Harden Show

Grains and pumpkins, Murrumburrah Harden Show

The Murrumburrah Harden Show has all the elements of a quaint country show with scarecrow building, bake-offs and craft competitions and wandering through the pavillion was like taking a step back to a time when the simple things were what made people happy - the time, skill and effort which had gone into the works on display was great to see. From the prize winning fleece to the hens eggs, farmers and hobbyists alike had taken the time and pride to show off the fruits of their labour and I was whisked into a cloud of nostalgia for times passed..and then I stepped out of the pavillion and saw the rides spinning and whirring, heard the joyful screams and music, saw the lights and the toothy grins flash and realised that just appreciating the moment, whatever that holds, is the recipe for happiness.

Chicken, Murrumburrah Harden Show

Prize winning ram, Murrumburrah Harden Show

Sideshow alley was garishly bright with shouts of enticement being yelled at all who dared to walk through. There was enough sugar and deep fried meat to feed the crowds who were tackling it with gusto in the way which always seems like a good idea under the bright awnings and lights of show day.

Showtime treats, Murrumburrah Harden Show

Clowns, Murrumburrah Harden Show

Sideshow alley, Murrumburrah Harden Show

If you want to taste a real country show, the Murrumburrah Harden Spring Show is a good place to start considering they have 163 years of putting on a good show! The Murrumburrah Harden Spring Show is held annually in early September at the Murrumburrah Showground.