The official party at the opening of the 69th Cooyar Show … from left, Rural Ambassador Kaitlyn Ballin, Miss Teen Showgirl Rachel Dando, Miss Showgirl Jessica Erlich, Junior Princess Rhiannon Ryan, Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, who opened the show, and Cooyar Show Society president Matt RyanThe late Elvie Munt … honoured with a minute’s silence at the Cooyar Show on Saturday (Photo: Burstows)
February 27, 2018
Storm clouds towered over the arena – and some rain fell during the campdraft – but the 69th Cooyar Show went off almost without a hitch at the weekend.
The only casualty due to the weather was the display of Monster Trucks on Saturday which, ironically, wasn’t stopped by the storms in the South Burnett but rather by the extremely heavy rainfall in Brisbane.
Member for Nanango, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington officially opened the show and paid tribute to the show society members for all the work they had put into the event.
She said the new cattle pavilion – which was opened on Friday night – was “fantastic”.
Mrs Frecklington also praised the Yarraman P-9 State School band which played the National Anthem at the opening.
Show society president Matt Ryan said entries in the cattle categories and pavilion entries had been excellent.
The society is very happy with their new cattle facility and is hoping to have a new pavilion erected at the showgrounds within two years.
Mr Ryan paid also tribute to long-serving Cooyar Show Society volunteer Elvie Munt, who died on February 14.
Mrs Munt, 87, was Show Secretary for more than two decades and received a Meritorious Award from the QAS in 2000 for her work with the Cooyar Agricultural Society.
The crowd stood for a minute’s silence to honour her memory.
For the second year, a campdraft was a highlight of the show.
The competition began on Friday and finished with a final contested on Saturday.
Thirty-eight competitors qualified for the final, although there were a few scratchings before the draft began.
Eventual winner was Paul Radke, from Wondai, who also took out second spot.
The Jen-Daview Limousin stud, from Kingaroy, were competing in their first show for 2018, and couldn’t have started the year any better,
Their two-year-old bull, “Jen-Daview Mr Pinnacle”. took out several blue ribbons including Supreme Male of the Show and Supreme Stud Exhibit.
Campdraft caller Neville McNalty has been a member of the Cooyar Show Society for nearly 60 years and has been calling campdrafts for a decadeTwo-year-old “Jen-Daview Mr Pinnacle”, from Jen-Daview Limousins at Kingaroy, won Senior Bull, Supreme Male of the Show, and Supreme Stud Exhibit; he was sashed Junior Champion Bull at last year’s Ekka and will most likely be competing again in Brisbane this year (Photo: Jen-Daview)Cooyar Show Society is rightfully proud of their new cattle pavilion which was officially opened on Friday night with a sausage sizzle for competitorsThe Cooyar Show Society volunteers showing off their new shirts … blue for boys and pink for girls!The Young Judges entrants in action, assessing the four beasts line up for their perusalYoung Judges winners … from left, 1st Gorgie Plowman, Kingaroy; 2nd Chloe Plowman, Kingaroy; 3rd Bailey Beresford, NanangoCooyar Show Society vice-president and cattle steward Scott Duncombe presented the Interschools Herdsman’s Award to Year 9 student Amelia Davies, who received it on behalf of Yarraman P-9 State SchoolScott Duncombe with the team of Yarraman P-9 students who took part in the Cooyar ShowPaul Radke, from Wondai, took out first place in the Cooyar Novice Campdraft, on “Cherokee”, with a score of 167; and also second place, on “Confession”, with a score of 166Campdraft winner Paul Radke in action on “Cherokee” on Saturday at the Cooyar ShowCameron Coleman, on “Light Fingers” finished with an aggregate of 157 pointsA large crowd gathered around the arena to watch the log splitting competitionGetting ready to go home after a successful day at the Cooyar Show were David Evans, from Jen-Daview Limousins at Kingaroy, and Terry Cross, from Cross’s Livestock Transport
