March 13, 2020
Murgon’s 97th annual show is on this Saturday (March 14) after a busy lead-up which included a stylish Country Cabaret at Murgon Town Hall.
More than 128 guests attended a relaxed night of dinner and dancing with the highlight being the sashing of this year’s Miss Showgirl, Junior Showgirl and Rural Ambassador.
2019’s Miss Murgon Showgirl Teagan Hall – who also represented the South Burnett sub-chamber at last year’s Ekka – organised this year’s competition, which drew two senior and three junior entrants for the Miss Showgirl crowns.
Teagan said she had a lot of fun helping to put the competition together, and was certain all the entrants would benefit from taking part.
She said one common misconception about the Miss Showgirl competition was that it was a beauty contest, but it wasn’t.
“Miss Showgirl is all about personality – how you express yourself, what you think, what you do, how you present yourself,” she said.
“In exchange you get to meet lots of really great people, develop your inner qualities and become part of the Show’s family.”
Teagan said her own experience as Miss Murgon Showgirl and – later – Miss South Burnett Showgirl had been invaluable.
“I met so many great people at the Ekka, and I’m still in touch with many of them today,” Teagan said.
“It was an amazing experience and I’d recommend it to anyone.”
Amanda Hiron was announced as this year’s Miss Murgon Showgirl; Romana Ricketts as Miss Junior Showgirl; and Hayden Oberle as this year’s Rural Ambassador.
Teagan used the opportunity to debunk another common myth, which was that events like the Murgon Show were all about agriculture.
She said that may have been the case a century ago when shows began running in the South Burnett, but it was no longer true today.
“We’re an agricultural area so naturally agricultural events are a focus of all our shows,” Teagan said.
“But these days our shows have grown to include many other things, too.
“So they’re really town shows more than purely ag shows these days, and I hope we all come out and celebrate what’s great about our area.”
Teagan said she was a perfect example of this evolution.
“I grew up at Byee where my dad farmed until he got too ill to do it, so the past 10 years I’ve lived in town,” she said.
“But I was proud to represent Murgon as a townie in last year’s Show competition because it’s Murgon’s show, and that includes both the town and the district.”
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This year’s Murgon Show will get under way at Murgon Showgrounds on Friday afternoon at 4:00pm with the Young Judges, Young Paraders and Stockmen’s competitions.
This will be followed by a Butchers Own Sausage Competition at 5:30pm, and a Billy Boiling Competition at 6:30pm.
A bar, barbecue and meat raffles will be running from 5:00pm, and the public are welcome to come along on Friday for no charge.
On Saturday, the gates will open at 7:00am for cattle and horse events at 8:00am.
The PCYC will open the pavilion displays at 9:00am, and this will be followed by a Street Science show at 9:30am; a Circus Stunt Show at 10:15am; a Circus Workshop at 10:45am; more Street Science at 11:30am; and a Science Workshop at noon.
Out in the main arena, there’ll be a Tractor Sled Pull exhibition between 8:30am and 10:00am, and again from 11:00am to 12:30pm.
The Show will be officially opened at 1:15pm.
This will be followed by the Grand Parade at 2:00pm; and then a Circus Stunt Show at 3;00pm, followed by more Tractor Sled Pulls until 4:30pm, and then a Circus Fire Show at 5:30pm.
At 6:00pm, the annual Rodeo will get underway and run until late, with a break around 7:00pm for a giant fireworks display.
Admission to this year’s Murgon Show is $10 for adults, $8 for concessions, $5 for students aged 12-17 (children under 12 are free).
A family pass for two adults and two children is also available for $25.
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The Murgon Show will go ahead this weekend despite the confirmation of a coronavirus case in Kingaroy on Friday.
People concerned about coronavirus can protect themselves by following these instructions from the World Health Organisation:
- Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
- Maintain at least one metre distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth because hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Contaminated hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene, this means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
- Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention but call ahead and follow directions.
