April 12, 2017
Visitors to Nanango’s 108th annual show were spoiled for choice this year with activities stretching from one end of the showgrounds to the other.
All the traditional show activities were there – pavilion and trade displays, poultry, showjumping, woodchopping, chainsaw races and a large prime cattle competition of 140 head.
But there was also a strong turnout in the dairy goat competition with five breeds on display.
And for the second year in a row, harness racing returned to the main ring with trotters entertaining the spectators in the stand as they raced around their temporary track.
Dominating the showground this year was the massive ferris wheel in Sideshow Alley, the first time this giant wheel is believed to have been erected in Nanango.
The show was officially opened by Queensland Rural Ambassador Justin Matthews, who was last year’s Nanango Show Rural Ambassador winner.
Justin’s come a long way since then. He went on to win the South Burnett Sub-Chamber event and then took out the Queensland title at the Brisbane Exhibition.
He will now compete against other State winners for the National title at the Geelong Show in October.
Justin congratulated the Nanango Show Society members for their efforts in organising this year’s show, and especially all the young people involved on the day.
“It is great to see the future of Queensland agriculture in such great hands,” he said.
As the official opening ceremony began, cattle entered the arena from one side and hot rods from the other to form the Grand Parade.
The cattle then made way for the trotters in the main ring.
In the late afternoon, attention moved to the smaller arena, where the always-popular rodeo again drew a big crowd.
This was followed by wrestling displays, live music by country singer Glen Albrecht, the Rings Of Fire equestrian display and a Dirt Bike derby.
Squeezed into the middle of this big night of entertainment was the fireworks, probably the highlight of the show for many young and not-so-young showgoers.