It had been decided not to cancel the 1915 event and there were expectations it would be bigger and better.

A newspaper article reported “Despite wars, droughts, tight money markets and ‘things are bad’ periods, nothing ever seems to dim the brilliance of the Royal Easter Show” saying organisers claimed the 1915 show would be “greater than ever”.

Although dissenting voices urged the show’s postponement until the end of hostilities, most people were of the opinion it had to continue as a distraction from the distressing news from overseas.

With the cancellation of the rugby union competition, league stars going off to war and many other forms of entertainment curtailed, the public needed something to entertain them. The show fitted that bill.

Before the war it had been growing bigger every year. There were fluctuations in crowds depending on the economic circumstances and whether any days of the show fell during school holidays, but the showground was expanding, with more display halls and other facilities being built.

When war broke out in August 1914 there was an assumption by many the conflict would be over by Christmas, so no plans were made to defer the show in 1915. As the war dragged on into the new year, plans were already well advanced for what would be the first show during the war and the decision was made to press ahead. The ­society boasted that it would be the best agricultural show yet.

There were fears that boast would be more wishful thinking or advertising slogan than reality. Droughts had taken their toll on agricultural output in 1914, including the failure of much of the wheat crop.

Entries in the wheat contests were down to 57 after reaching 91 at the 1914 show.

The government’s requisitioning of resources, particularly ­horses, for the war effort would also have an impact on events at the 1915 show, as would the skilled riders volunteering to serve.

The show opened on March 30 and would run until April 7.

The ­extension of lights and electricity around the showground also had to be postponed because of the war.

Although it was not everything it could have been without the war, one paper reported there were still “1100 prize horses, 800 beautiful cattle, 150 jumping horses and ­ponies, grand trotting pairs”. To top it off Australian industrial know-how was on display with “14 acres of wonderful machinery — the largest machinery exhibition in the world”. The main show ring had also been expanded

The show was officially opened by Sir Francis Suttor, president of the Legislative Council and also president of the Royal Agricultural Society. It would be his last public appearance, he died on April 4 at his home in Darling Point.

Despite Suttor’s sudden death, the 1915 show was a resounding success. His successor would be Sir Samuel Hordern, son of Samuel Hordern Sr, founder of the retail empire.

Hordern would have a grand vision to expand the show from what was still a local fair into a Sydney showpiece to rival any similar event anywhere in the world.

In between shows there were ominous signs that the 1916 show would be cancelled as the army moved in to occupy part of the Moore Park Showground.

However, there were assurances from Defence Minister George Pearce that the ground would be vacated in time for the next show.

Although requisitions of produce, stock and horses took a chunk out of the field of competitors, the 1916 show did go on.

One commentator even ­argued the show would be good for recruitment, showing all of the progress and prosperity that men would be fighting for.

One of the innovations at the 1916 show was the extension of electricity to all of the showground, enabling opening hours to be extended.

The huge success of the 1916 show spurred the society on to going ahead with shows in 1917 and 1918.

Attendance continued to increase and the show kept expanding. Night-time visits to the show were becoming part of the tradition.

Hostilities ended with the ­armistice signed on November 11, 1918, which promised to make the 1919 show a joyous celebration of peace. Ironically, the outbreak of an influenza epidemic in the wake of the war saw the show cancelled as the showgrounds were given over to setting up makeshift hospitals for the thousands affected.

During World War II the show would be cancelled again as the Moore Park grounds were given over to the army for training.