Gayndah Show prepares for 110th annual event

The Gayndah Show Society is gearing up for its 2024 annual show, which boasts a range of new classes to add more excitement and a little whimsy to the event.

SHOWCASING TALENT: Susie Capewell painting as part of the Mount Perry Art Group's display at the 2019 Gayndah Show.

The team behind the annual Gayndah Show are gearing up for this year’s event, hoping to take advantage of major Queensland exhibitions held a little later in the calendar.

Gayndah Show Society President Cameron Polzin said preparations for the 2024 show, which will take place on Saturday April 6, were on track despite recent rain clouds casting shadows over the showgrounds.

“It’s not too often you would hear me say we don’t want any rain, but we don’t really want any rain this week” Mr Polzin laughed.

“We had 40-odd millimetres last week, which spread over three days really set the ground up nice, settled the dust, but if we get any more rain this week it might get wet underfoot.”

Despite a strong chance of rain expected later this week, Mr Polzin said numbers for a range of classes are already high, with the hope cattle classes will do well as competitors prepare for Beef Week in early May.

The week-long exhibition event held in Rockhampton brings forward the best of the best of Queensland and interstate cattle competitors, and Mr Polzin hopes those preparing to exhibit at the event stop at Gayndah Show along the way.

The dog high jump will make a return to the Gayndah Show schedule, with the addition of a brand new class; House Dog. Image credit: Gayndah Show Society.

“A lot of the stud people are wanting to get shows under the belt before heading to Rockhampton,” Mr Polzin said.

Poultry and dog classes are already bringing in higher nominations than previous years, with the addition of the Extreme Horseman Trial putting riders and their mounts to the test.

The annual crowd favourite, the Dog Jump will also welcome a brand new section for this years event; House Dog.

The event which has for years pitted farmers’ friends against fenced walls often taller than the average man will now welcome house dogs to the competition.
Any dog under 12kg is welcome to take part, with Mr Polzin saying the additional class came to life after the steward’s wife said she wanted to give her toy dog a chance at the prize.

In all, the 110th Gayndah will also have all the expected additions to a country show, from fireworks to sideshows and everything in between.

Mr Polzin encouraged anyone who had not attended a country show to make the trip to the Gayndah Showgrounds for this years event.

“Everyone had to go to a country show, once you’ve been to a country show you’ll always want to go back,” he said.