Organisers have cited high costs as the reason behind the cancellation.  

The event started as the Wool Expo in 1980 to highlight the region’s wool industry.

It was rebranded as the New England Expo in 2010 in an effort to incorporate the area’s agricultural diversity into the annual celebration.

 Chairman Richard Croft said the decision not to run the event this year did not mean the end of the Expo. “The organisers need a break,” he said yesterday. 

“The Wool Expo has had times when it didn’t run in the past. “We plan to have it next year. We’re not going away.” Mr Croft said the high costs of organising and holding the event had been behind the decision to put it on the hiatus for the year. 

“We decided the cost of putting it on is a bit much to have every year,” he said. 

Mr Croft said he could not comment on whether sponsorship concerns had been a factor in the decision, but said a difficult financial climate was being experienced in many sectors. 

“We do have a lot of sponsors who have been loyal over the years and will probably be loyal in the future,” he said. “Hopefully the climate for sponsors will be right next year.”

Although the New England Expo will not be held in its entirety, its lamb competition and yard dog trials are being held as standalone events. 

The lamb competition will be judged this weekend in Tamworth, with awards to be presented at an industry dinner on May 10. 

Meanwhile, the yard dog trials will take place on May 11 and 12 at the Armidale Exhibition Centre.