Some history of the Barraba Show
History Notes
Our annual Show is fast approaching – 122 years since the first one was opened by the Governor in 1904. The Governor’s visit was very special with a parade down Queen Street before he made his way to the Showground.
There are very few details of that first Show in the Witten diaries, apart from the fact that it was held in April and there was a concert held at night – two of the Witten children, Kate and Frank attended this concert while Kate and Ella went over to the Show on Friday afternoon. Arthur Witten did not attend this Show as he was busy complaining to Mackenzies and Sons about some 2nd hand wheat bags which were patched, darned, and threadbare – not suitable for freshly harvested wheat later in the year.
In 1905 the Show was moved back to the 7th March, still over three days and the Witten family entered cattle, wheat, pumpkins, beeswax and pictures.
In March 1912 the seventh Annual Show was held in the middle of the month and Julie Williams has rounded up several pages of information about this one. There were 475 entries in the horse sections – 51 stallions, 54 mares together with 90 hacks, 30 Galloways and ponies, and 70 jumpers. Just imagine the time it must have taken to put all those horses through their paces!
The Cattle Section of the Show was very small due to the bad season. The Sheep Section was also affected but there were some good exhibits by the Carter brothers from Linton. Mr. John Coote showed some Lincoln sheep.
In the Pavilion, Mr. CG Williams had some nice peaches and Mr. Dan Capel of Piedmont also showed some excellent fruit. Samples of chaff and hay and locally grown wheat were also on display.
Apart from all the horses there were sheep, wool, pigs, poultry and flowers. The show report then goes on to name those who won prizes such as C. White’s two stallions – Footwork and Golden Harvest, C. White’s Clydesdale, G. Hall’s pony stallion, J. Salter’s blood mare with foal at foot.
D. Capel won champion ribbon for both his Durham cow and a bull. Mr. Crowley also won prizes in the cattle section and the fat cattle section. Mrs. Clisces won prizes for a Jersey cow and a bull. J. McKid won prizes at Back Plain defeating CG Williams at Roxton. There were also prizes for a poultry section.
It seems Barraba will be very busy with this year’s Show if they are to catch up with the 1912 numbers.