Cooyar Had Lots To Smile About!

Dusty Dull, 7, from Toogoolawah, was making friends with one of Jen-Daview’s black limousin calves

February 26, 2020

The 71st Cooyar Show had something for everyone … including lots of smiles because the grass was so green!

Toowoomba mayor Paul Antonio summed up what most people were thinking:

“It is so beautiful to drive through these hills and see the greenery,” he said.

Cooyar Show Society president Matt Ryan agreed.

“To see what it’s like now is incredible. It has lifted all our spirits,” Matt said.

The mayor congratulated Matt and his team for all the work they had put into the show.

“The Cooyar community is punching above its weight,” Mayor Antonio said.

The show kicked off on Friday with the first heats of the campdraft followed by an innovation for this year, a Junior Judges competition under lights.

The campdraft was well-supported with 229 entrants in the Novice Section and 174 in the Open.

Troy McSweeney took home the $450 top prize on the Open final on Saturday, with Josh Hurley winning $450 in the Novice.

The main show day was Saturday, when overcast skies threatened storms. But the (usually very welcome) rain held off.

The cattle pens were crowded with a strong line-up of beef and stud cattle competing for honours.

In the pavilion, there were Lego competitions, as well as school displays, culinary, cut flowers and arts and crafts.

The general manager of Food Leaders Australia, Bruce McConnel, officially opened the show.

Food Leaders Australia is part of the Toowoomba economic development association TSBE (Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise).

Bruce said every small and not-so-small business in the region now had the opportunity to “go global”, and he had helped a business in Cooyar achieve just this.

Action in the ring was non-stop.

As soon as the campdraft ribbons were distributed, the Grand Parade rolled in, followed by post-ripping, the wacky Farmers Challenge, motorbikes and a demolition derby.

The entertainment stretched into the evening with Monster Trucks, a bull ride competition, fireworks and licensed bar.

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Campdraft Results

Open

1. Troy McSweeney, ‘Eagle Brave’, 175 points
2. Marcus Curr, ‘Bobadil Fashion’, 174
Equal 3. Felicity Burton, ‘Elsola Rey’, 173
Equal 3. Luke Collman, ‘Radar Izzy’, 173
Equal 3. Damien Curr, ‘Marnie’s North’, 173

Novice

1. Josh Hurley, ‘Little Suzie’, 174
Equal 2. Chris Kelly, ‘Peppered Acres’, 172
Equal 2. Tony Kucks, ‘Howzat Felix’, 172
Equal 2. Jack Southern, ‘Reys Aboonsmal’, 172
Equal 2. Andrew Stallmann, ‘Rathcool Lancelot’, 172

Maiden

1. Craig Sheppard, ‘Cleo’, 172
Equal 2. Danielle Bradshaw, ‘Fantasy’, 106
Equal 2. Garth Storey, ‘Indecent Proposal’, 106

Junior

1. Cody Ryan, ‘Puzzel’, 85
2. Matilda Bostock, ‘Brigalow’, 75
3. Charlotte Barron, ‘Blinky Bill’, 70

Juvenile

1. Darby Ryan, ‘Stylish Joe’, 88
Equal 2. Kate Southern, ‘Mia’, 87
Equal 2. Mac Sheppard, ‘Donrica Miss Dior’, 87

The official party at the opening ceremony … Cooyar Show Society president Matt Ryan, guest speaker Bruce McConnel (TSBE Food Leaders Australia), 2020 Cooyar Miss Showgirl Brooke Barron and Toowoomba mayor Paul Antonio

Cooyar Miss Showgirl Brooke Barron, second from left, was joined in the Grand Parade by 2019 Miss Crows Nest Bethany Campbell, 2019 Miss Darling Downs runner-up Jasmine Kidman, 2019 Miss Oakey Louise Byers, 2019 Miss Goombungee-Haden Tomika Pickering and 2020 Cooyar Miss Teen Showgirl Holly Barron

Action from the Open campdraft … the draft ran on Friday and Saturday and wound up ahead of the Grand Parade

Novice Campdraft winner Josh Hurley (‘Little Suzie’) and equal second placegetter Chris Kelly (‘Peppered Acres’)

Open campdraft winner Troy McSweeney (‘Eagle Brave’) and runner-up Marcus Curr (‘Bobadil Fashion’)

Sideshow alley featured the biggest range of rides seen at Cooyar for years

The display by Motorbike Mania included barrel racing with a difference

Corey Evans, from Jen-Daview Limousins in Kingaroy, with the Champion Female of the Show, ‘Jen-Daview Miss Irresistible’ and her five-month-old twin calves

Kingaroy State High School student Hannah Needer, from Coolabunia, collected a 2nd place ribbon in the Under 15 Young Paraders competition on Saturday; the Young Judges competition was held on Friday night

KSHS took home the Interschool Herdsman trophy … Rhianon Braithwaite collected the award on behalf of the school; Amy Wicks, left, from TopX Murgon, sponsored the Young Paraders and Young Judges competitions

Chief Cattle Steward Bill Brown with Junior Encouragement Award winner Caine Wright, from Kingaroy State High School; the award was sponsored by Bill and Kelly Brown from Kurrajong Brangus

The Champion Led Steer walked proudly in the Grand Parade

Jacinta Mansell (XF Falcon) and Darryl Chapman (VS Commodore), from Toowoomba, both had utes in the muster competition

Monster truck drivers Kerry Dorman (behind the wheel of “Scruffy”) and Cassius Stevenson (“Sharpshooter”), from Ace Fireworks at Bundamba, were getting ready for a big show

Cooyar police officer Senior Constable Jeremy Philp was manning a display of community safety information

“Pests know no boundaries” … Toowoomba Regional Council ranger Peter Kim had a display of feral animals and other pests

Tom and Judy Archer, from Crows Nest … Judy is secretary of the Darling Downs Sub-Chamber

Wayne Donovan, from Crows Nest, right, came second in the first heat of the post-ripping competition

The students from Cooyar State School sang the National Anthem before the opening ceremony

The victims line up for the carnage of the Smash Up Derby

* * *

The Farmer’s Challenge

A large crowd watched on as four teams of young people – from Cooyar, Crows Nest and Goombungee – put some of their rural skills to the test in the arena: