Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to thank and congratulate the Boonah and Fassifern Valley community for throwing yet another fantastic annual agricultural show celebrating no fewer than 113 years of showing. There were concerns that a date clash with the much larger Ipswich Show would result in lower crowd numbers and fewer exhibitors, but that was not the case. The show welcomed 100 new exhibitors and gate takings increased by 10 per cent over last year, proving that small towns can pull it together when we have to and run a good show.

This year boasted 220 heads of stud beef, 40 heads in the dairy section, 300 prime beef entrants, over 200 in the pigeon and poultry judging, 420 entrants in the dog show—get that—420 entries presenting cooking and a strong showing in the horticulture and fruit and vegetable sections. Thank you to all of those who competed in the celebrity cook-off; regardless of my disastrous tiramisu crepes looking better than they tasted, I did end up taking home the silver there. I also had the opportunity to judge the fancy-dress calf competition, where I had to decide between the enormous talent of the progeny of the Fassifern Valley!

Deserving congratulations to our committee: Jim Harvey, Anthony Neibling and the whole Show Society. Thanks a million for what you do. The future of the agricultural society is in great hands in Boonah.