The 111th Guyra Show will be held in a fortnight – and organisers are keen to make it truly special, with sports stars and rodeo extravaganzas.
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“After a drought-affected year, the committee’s made a big effort for the biggest and best show yet, with plenty of family entertainment,” president Richard Post said.
The show will be held from February, Friday 22 to Saturday 23.
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Ex-rugby player Wendell Sailor is the show’s guest of honour. He will officially open the show at 7pm on Friday evening.
The former dual international for league and union was in Ben Lomond last October for a men’s mental health night.
“He's someone really good, and gregarious,” Mr Post said. “He appeals to young and old, and is a great guy to have as part of our show in a year we're trying to put our best foot forward."
Mr Sailor will also hold a kids’ footie clinic at Guyra Central School at 3.30pm on Friday.
The show’s key entertainment is the Rooftop Express Wild West Extravaganza, on Saturday evening at 7pm.
It’s billed as a world class authentic Australian bush experience, with world-first stunts, true blue Australian comedy, awe-inspiring horsemanship, loveable bush characters, and an amusing storyline.
"That's the big draw-card for us,” Mr Post said, “and the only reason we're able to do that is on the back of Adam Marshall's kind contribution for the state government."
The Northern Tablelands MP secured a one-off grant of $5000 for the show last year.
There’s plenty of great local entertainment, too, Mr Post said.
All the local males – farmers, shearers, and the boys in town – are encouraged to try their hand at baking.
Wendell Sailor will present a trophy to the winner of the men’s cake competition at the bar on Friday night.
Rumour has it that the men's cake competition will be “inundated with cakes made by hot, sweaty bushy-type blokes”.
The kids can take part in a poddy lamb dash for cash, and ladies can show off their driving skills in a trailer reversing competition.
There’s also bicycle sheep-shearing on Friday night.
It’s tandem cycling as you haven’t seen before. One person rides a bike, which powers the hand-piece to shear the sheep with – while the shearer yells at the increasingly exhausted cyclist to pedal faster.
The cyclist normally gets knocked off after 30 seconds – and it takes several minutes to shear a sheep. Plenty of good, knockabout fun!
Visitors can also enjoy dog trials, wood-chopping, cattle shows, and the wool section, which Mr Post said was widely regarded as one of the state’s best outside the Sydney Royal.
Plus, of course, local Guyra produce, arts and crafts, lunch and tea in the pavilion dining room.
Preparations have been underway for the last six months. Volunteers will start setting up the arena next weekend, organising different sections of the pavilion and livestock infrastructure. Sideshows will travel down after the Glen Innes Show (Feb 15 – 17).
If you want to get involved with the show, you can call the Guyra Show Society office on 6779 1093; call Richard Post on 0404 454 143; or follow the Show on Facebook.
Show schedules are available at the GALA Centre, 136 Bradley Street, or from the Show’s website.