The 131st Show

 
We went to the local show, Clare & Ally, the husband and I.

Clare and Al were all about the showbags and the rides. I was all about the exhibits. So, the two youngest had a few goes on the dodgem cars.

  

Their intent was to bash into each other as often as possible.

 
Ubiquitous photo of colourful ride and blue sky.

 
Vomit Ride, called something else really. I loved  show rides until I had the first baby. Ever since then...they make me sick. I even have to be careful cleaning my teeth since that first pregnancy (too much toothbrush time = throw up). Pregnancy also triggered claustrophobia (true, but why?). My favourites were the Cha-Cha, the Hurricane & the Matterhorn (no longer in existence). Clare and Ally had their first go on the Cha-Cha on the weekend. Much screaming and laughing! They loved it, and I was kind of sad that I couldn't go on with them, just for old times sake.

Then the "shoot things" fix.

 
Dad shows the small fry how to put the plastic darts in and how to operate the damn thing.

 
Dead Eye Al.

 
Not any more accurate. Kids get a prize regardless, but I wish they didn't. Too much hideous plastic crap in this world, no need to add to it.

After this we went to the craft/cooking/flowers/vegetables/sheep fleeces pavilion. So many good things. Prize winning flowers grown by a terrific lady I once worked with! Loads of craft from the schools, hope these kids keep creating into adulthood. Very much talent there (my belief that creativity is latent in all of us could be fodder for another post). Somehow artistic endeavour and creative endeavour get dashed in childhood. Great things made and entered in the show by the teachers of these kids. More power to their arm.

Big gaps in the cooking exhibits...I guess people, especially people in paid work, expend their energy cooking for their family. Show cooking - forget it (guilty here: meals are my forte, baking is a strain for me). Lots of splendid eggs. Not so many vegies, but the vegie exhibits were a credit to the growers.

To the untrained eye all sheep fleeces look the same. So, I looked hard at the show fleeces and, yes, there are differences. Good or bad? I wouldn't have a clue. Credit to the experienced show judges.

Then, the chooks! Oh, sorry, the poultry exhibits. Beware. Many pictures of chooks.

 
A Polish, quite a few of these. They shook their heads a lot. Shaking the feathers away from their eyes, to see better? Magnificent bouffant "hairdos".

 
 
 
 
 
 
I am forcing you to look at these chooks, because I really enjoyed doing so. Most not happy about being show specimens, a couple really stressed.

 
Game chooks. Look at their monstrous legs! They are something else entirely. Half the poultry exhibits were Game Poultry.

 
 
 Not layers, not meat birds. Sport birds. But is it legal? 

 
Lovely black hen. It would be good if the breeders of these chooks filled in some sort of information book for potential buyers. Where does this Langshan Female come from? Where can I buy some?

 
 
This is the entire duck exhibit. No turkeys, no geese, no quail etc. I feel like I need to acreage and start breeding specialty/rare breed poultry. Likelihood of this happening: nil.

 
There was a Baby Animal Nursery.

 
The kid that was biting the guinea pigs. Picking the guinea pigs up and tossing them around. The animal nursery lady was hard pressed to keep an eye on this goat.

 
Apparently this piglet has a "strong personality". Information from the animal nursery lady who was keeping an eagle eye on the kid goat.

 
These ducks tried to be in every photo. Papparazzi addicted ducks? Nah, just curious ducks.

 
Rabbits were there, of course. Favourites of Clare and Ally.

You know, maybe we're poised for a comeback of the Agricultural Show. I really hope so, in the country. Would be rejuvenating

Chook heavy. Enjoy the chooks!

 

Comments

[suse]

I love the ducks and the piglet with the strong personality. (I am quietly desperate for a little pet pig of my very own).

[Stomper Girl]

We had that vomit ride at our school fete on the weekend, a replacement for the Cha-Cha which we've had the last 2 years. The Climber said it was awesome, but he has iron-guts.

[Lizzy D]

Those rides that make you really sick are called The Vomitron !
I remember them well
Remember that white goat that we had as a pet, what a pain it became and very naughty, Mark used to sharpen it's little horns and it used to stab you when it butted up against you leg.... goats are very nice on the spit you know
Lizzy D

[victoria]

I love the chooks but I'm most taken by the guinea pig tossing goat.

[victoria]

But the game poultry's legs are wonderful too.