Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure to rise and congratulate the Midland Agricultural Association on successfully conducting the 177th Campbell Town Show—this is in fact the oldest show in the southern hemisphere. It is a wonderful community event and is very important to the small community of Campbell Town and also the broader community within the northern midlands.

It is run by volunteers one and all. It starts with the children and young people at the Campbell Town District High School and it extends to: John Taylor, the president; David Taylor, the incoming president; Jo Dowling; Daniel and Sue Fish, long-time supporters of the Campbell Town Show; George Gatenby; Georgie Wallace; Bridget Walch, who runs the exhibition hall—and I commit myself next year to entering in the man cake competition; Alan Phillips, who runs the wool exhibition; Peter Blackwood, who does the prime lambs; Georgie Pengilley; Jack Monks, who does the shearing competition; Amanda Beams, who does the chopping; Philip Melrose, who runs the sheepdogs and smithfields; Lisa Lucas, who runs the hunt exhibition; Isabel Casey, who runs the equestrian events; Lauren Clomp, who runs the excellent fashion parade which is an iconic event at the Campbell Town Show; Sophie Affleck, who runs the gala ball held on Saturday night this year, and to the Campbell Town combined churches, who put on the lunches on the two days over the Friday and Saturday, and Cataract on Gorge, who runs the bar.

Congratulations this year go to the sheep exhibitors who came from Tasmania, South Australia—for the first time—Victoria and New South Wales. The supreme merino exhibit was won by Robert Harding from Glendonald in Victoria. The grand champion fleece went to Trefusis—congratulations to Georgie Wallace. The New England Wool award, presented by my good friend Andrew Raeber, went to Julian Cotton from Kelvedon on the east coast of Tasmania. The most valuable fleece went to Frank and Josie Chester of Camelford at Campbell Town.

A show like this would not run without sponsors. A long-term sponsor of the Campbell Town Show is Roberts Limited, in their 150th year of operation. Congratulations to them, also. Many others—agricultural businesses and individuals—support the Campbell Town Show. These volunteers have my thanks and my admiration for the amazing job they do. Congratulations to all on another wonderful Campbell Town Show this year.