IT was Tyrendarra’s 106th Agricultural Show on Saturday, and the huge crowds proved the community still loves a traditional country show.

 While Portland hosted a huge range of sporting activities on the weekend – Tyrendarra grabbed the attention and imagination of keen show goers from across the region.

Show president Anne Burley said the crowd on Saturday looked “massive.”

“Having walked around, the sheep numbers are up, they’re having a really good year.

“There’s a heap of the show cars out in the paddock.

“The crowd numbers are good. It’s been great.

“I reckon this show is on par with other years.

“We are cheap considering you can come in the gate and you’ve got a science show, the balloon man, face painters, we’ve got wicked wildlife with snakes and lizards.

“We’ve got animal nursery, cows, sheep, stalls.

“Considering how much you get for $12 an adult, $6 a pensioner and nothing for a kid, it’s pretty cheap for a family.”

This year’s show included many of the creative and interesting sections seen every year, such as home brew, cut flowers, kids art, photography, poultry, cookery and farm and garden.

Poultry section steward Jarrod Curtis said they had 40 odd junior entries amongst others.

“The whole show is a lot bigger this year,” he said.

“We’ve got 112 birds, whereas last year was about 78.

“We had done a lot more advertising and really promoted it this year, and the cooler weather helps too because if it’s too hot, people won’t bring their birds.”

Another section popular for all ages was photography, with an estimate of 100 entries.

Photography steward Damian Goodman said it’s been a better turnout than last year for entries.

“Probably just need a few more juniors, but it’s still better than last year,” he said.

Other sections saw a great number of entries, with many people coming to the show to view the entries.

Sections were closed briefly for judging at different times, during the morning and early afternoon.

While people waited to see the judging results, ice-creams, brisket sandwiches and drinks were purchased from food trucks.

Popular activities included looking through the trade stalls, visiting the animals at the petting zoo or the reptiles over at Wicked Wildlife, seeing the liquid nitrogen show or purchasing a colourful showbag.

Profits made from show and competition entry fees will go into making next year’s show just as jam packed as this year’s.

The agricultural show has come a long way, building new sheds on the Tyrendarra recreation reserve, and adding new competitions.

Two members of the show committee, secretary Robyn Nunn and assistant secretary Wendy Peters, have been behind the scenes of the show for more than 50 years.

They have recalled what has come and gone.

“It takes a good few people to organise it all, but we’ve been doing it for quite some years,” Mrs Peters said.

“I’ve been here for around 50 years, Robyn’s been here for about 55 years.

“So, we haven’t always done these jobs. We’ve started off and moved up a bit further.”

Mrs Nunn said she began helping out at the show when she was 11 years old.

“I had a next-door neighbour who was in the fancy work section and she asked me if I’d like to come along, so I got the job of putting out the sections on the tables,” she said

“There’s been sections, fads, that come and go.

“Some things phase out and a new one starts up.

“We used to have speed shears. We don’t have that anymore. That was something of the past.

“Sheaf toss, we had that for many years.

“We didn’t have all those sheds back in the beginning, so they gradually increased and we got bigger sheds so we could run different things.

“When I first started, there was just the tin shed and the hall. Other things would be out in the open.

“But the horses were always the main part of the show.