Pets and poultry best in show at Mitchell
Poultry has seen a resurgence in the country shows, and Mitchell's first pet parade was a hit with the kids.
Roma
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A FIRST-TIME pet parade attracted a deluge of entries in the 103rd Mitchell Show, held on Monday and Tuesday this week, but it was the long-standing poultry section which brought out the keenest competitors.
The number of entrants was so great, birds outnumbered the pens available to house them.
"With the dry weather and all of that, it meant we couldn't have our commercial cattle on show this year,” Mitchell Show Society president Stephen Hancock said.
"Bim Struss, the steward of the commercial cattle section, was able to organise a pet parade which took the place of the cattle, and it was a roaring success.
"He thought we needed something to go in there, and everyone got behind it, all of the kids thoroughly enjoyed it, I think.”
The inaugural pet parade grand champions were Cooper Campbell, of Currawarra, and his pet calf, Squeaky.
Smaller pets also had their time in the spotlight at Mitchell, with the show enjoying a resurgence in the popularity of poultry.
"There is always a lot of interest in the poultry section, and at the moment it is something that is going from strength to strength in all of the country shows,” Mr Hancock said.
"This year they couldn't fit in any more birds, and were building more cages overnight to fit more birds in on the following day.”
Strong show attendance was a welcome relief for the president and his team, who were all on the edge of their seats until the show ground gates opened for the event on Monday.
"We are very happy with the way the show went,” he said.
"We were a bit concerned before it started, whether it would be a success or not, but it was and numbers through the gate were about the same as last year.”
"At the end of the day, it has been a good show.
”I'd like to thank my secretary, the stewards, and everyone who has been involved with the Mitchell show, because they are the ones who make it happen every year.”