November 9th, 2023Show goes on: Clunes to stage 160th country classic

Words & Image: Eve Lamb

The 160th anniversary Clunes Show has been along time coming but it’s finally looking like all
systems go for Saturday, November 18.
“It’s not just that it’s our 160th anniversary show but that it’s also been more than three years in the
making,” Clunes and District Agricultural Society secretary Gayle Wrigley says.
“It’s been stop-start, stop-start for the last three years, first with Covid and then last year with the weather.”
Having contended with prolonged precipitation in the lead up to last year’s attempt, they’d just managed to get the centrepiece arena to thumbs-up stage when the heavens opened again.
“We got 30mm of rain and there was just no way we could run it,” Gayle recounts last year’s eleventh hour disappointment. “That was devastating. I can tell you there were tears.”
This time there’s an even steelier determination among the volunteer committee to ensure the big 160th anniversary show will go on.
“The phones are ringing and we’re getting a sense that people really want to see it back and want to get through the gates,” Gayle says.
The longstanding event packs an enviable reputation among the state’s remaining true classic country show experiences, particularly for staging crowd-rousing old fashioned entertainment.
The gumboot throw, tug-o-war, keg throw and ladies’ wood splitting events are keenly contested by
locals and visiting ribbon raiders and just as keenlywatched from the sidelines.
“We’re now the only show in Australia that still runs the ladies’ wood splitting,” committee president
Jenny Redpath says. “We usually get anywhere from 12 to 20 women entering and there’s cash up for grabs.”
Among the local women with their sights set on taking home the wood splitting cash prize and ribbon
is Clunes’ Beth Campbell, a former winner. Jenny says all of the favourite show day attractions will be back, including time-honoured drawcards like the equestrian program, Midlands Axemen’s woodchop display, ferret racing, homecrafts pavilion, showbags, rides and grand parade.
There’ll be the full complement of agricultural competitions, shearing displays, the dog high jump, live acts including the Ballarat Pipe Band, a food and wine pavilion and the 25th anniversary running of the
Bute Ute Competition.
“We’ll also have some new attractions including the Strongman Competition, the Mediaeval Combat
Competition and the Header Simulator. That was a great attraction at the Melbourne show this year,”
Gayle says. “We’ve also got Sandy Creek Clydesdales coming. We haven’t had them before.”
Jenny says the majority of the community will be involved in some way or another.
“The CFA does the morning breakfast. The school does Devonshire tea and sandwiches throughout the
day, the cricket club runs a barbeque, the footy club does the bar and the school will also be running the cow poo lotto as well.
“We have also done a book which has a history and a timeline. One of our committee members and a past president have put that together and it will be available for purchase on show day.”