James Bradford Rural is proud to be sponsoring the 2024 Gunnedah Show, running from Friday 12th April to Sunday 14th April.
The Gunnedah Showground was little more than a clearing in a pine scrub when the Gunnedah P A & H Association held its inaugural show in 1888.
In the early twentieth century, the annual show was the year's most important event. Crowds arrived via horse and buggy, spring cart, horseback, and on foot. Trains ran at excursion rates to bring visitors from all over the region, and those who could afford it purchased outfits for the year's biggest social and sporting events.
For many people, especially those from outlying villages, the show was one of their few visits to town.
With the exception of a few early years when severe drought forced its abandonment and during the Great Depression, the Gunnedah Show has always been held on the same grounds on South Street.
The first show was hailed as a huge success. According to the Sydney Mail's "Gay Gunnedah" article, the first show was a successful festival week for the town.
The Amateur Turf Club's first annual meeting, a ministerial visit (the Minister's name was not revealed), a Church of England Council banquet, three balls, and a live pigeon shooting match were among the festivities.
According to the Mail, the area was experiencing drought, and "the dust rose in great clouds".
"Hotels were overcrowded, and beds were not available. The report stated that many visitors came from Sydney.
The presentation of the Wolseley shearing machine was a highlight of the event. Geddes' special prise of £20 was given to the best 20 ewes' fleeces shorn with the steam powered machine.
Times have changed. Wool is no longer king, and agriculture has experienced economic fluctuations. The town's diversity is such that the animal nursery, which would have bored most families a century ago, is now a must-see attraction. The horse events, particularly showjumping, continue to be a major draw for many attendees and competitors at the show.
The show, dubbed "the Royal of the North" 40 years ago, continues to live up to its reputation, attracting visitors and competitors from across the north and beyond.
With fodder reserves currently high and a strong production period underway, landholders across New England and North West NSW are presented with a timely window to secure their feed strategies ahead of changing weather patterns.
It’s easy to take for granted the dirt on our boots and the effortless way our kids learn where their food comes from. Standing here in Gunnedah, getting ready to send my eldest son off to Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School next year with his two younger brothers hopefully following in his footsteps, I’m constantly reminded of how fortunate we are to live this lifestyle. But step outside our regional bubble, and the divide between city children and the farm gate has never been wider.
Stand on the edge of any paddock at sunrise across our region, and you’ll see a landscape built on generations of grit, local knowledge, and good old-fashioned hard work. But look a little closer at the horizon today, and you might just catch a user-friendly drone hovering silently into view
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