November 13th, 2022Cakes, quilts, flowers, animals: all on show

THE Daylesford Show, on Saturday,
November 26, will again feature
an exhibition of the work of local
people who are proud to show off what
they have produced in the past 12 months,
or perhaps three years.
Show president Don Harvey said many
people were prepared to enter their work
into one of the numerous classes available to
compete against their neighbours and other
artisans, and see their work displayed in public
and judged both by the show-appointed judges and the public.
“Some people frown a bit on competition these days,” Don said. “But let us hope
that anybody who bakes a cake, or makes a nice quilt, or knits a nice beanie or grows
some beautiful flowers can walk around the showgrounds on the day thinking ‘I am a
winner and the rest of the town can see my name on a blue first prize certificate or a
red one for second prize’.”
Don said the show committee expected more than 120 sheep to be judged with
almost as many entries in the poultry pavilion and about 300 horses and more than
400 dogs.
“In these classes we have animals that represent months and often years of very
careful husbandry by loving but often intensely competitive owners. There will also be
cookery and other homecrafts and photography to see in the football pavilion along
with flowers, vegetables and floral art in the table tennis pavilion. Children’s art and
musical performers will be in the newly renovated Tom Ford Pavilion.
“In all of these competitions there will be proud owners or proud makers or
proud bakers or growers who are quite happy to talk about why it means so much to
them to compete and show, and we encourage anybody who thinks they could easily
enjoy even a small victory to talk to these local experts about what they like about
showing their wares.
“Daylesford people have been doing this for over 160 years now so there must be
something in that which people enjoy.”
Entries close on Friday, November 18 and everything must be at the show ready
for judging to start on Friday, November 25.
Don said the show would have local and statewide showmen and foodstalls but
the essence of small country shows was competition “and let’s hope it stays that way
for quite a while in the future”.
“Your first step into this local competition takes only a bit of research and your
own enthusiasm.”
Show schedules are now available in a number of places around town or head to
www.daylesfordshow.com to find a section in which you can show your work off
Words: Contributed | Show images: Samantha Moore