Bathurst Show

We had to make sure we were home from our holiday in time to attend the Royal Bathurst Show at the beginning of May. It is an event we always like to pop along to.  You tend to run into people you haven't seen for a while and there is always lots to see. 

It was rather lucky that we were going on the Sunday, as after a wet few days, we were lucky to have a nice blue day, albeit a little squelchy under foot.

Another reason was that I had entered a few items in the needlework section.

I was thrilled to receive a first and third for the "Machine Pieced, Commercially Quilted" section.

The champion quilt was all hand quilted.  I had seen this quilt previously and the stitches are tiny and so even.  After my little attempt on my cushion I really appreciate the time and skill involved.  Well deserved.

I also received a first and second in the "Any Other Item of Patchwork" section, and Champion of that section, which was exciting.

Having said that, it is really disappointing how low the number of entries were.  In the whole Junior Needlework section, consisting of 29 different categories, there were only three items entered, which is really sad.  Things weren't that much better in the adults section.  If it wasn't for the few quilts, there would have been a lot of blank spaces.  Also, in the quilts section, the categories are rather limited, it is only either hand or machine pieced.  There were a couple of beautiful quilts, one with applique and one with stitcheries, but as the piecing was only simple, they didn't rate a mention.  On the whole, there just doesn't seem to be the interest in entering.  There is no real monetary incentive, just the glory and a certificate.  Maybe that isn't enough incentive for many to enter.  I don't know what the answer is.  I'll just keep trying to enter to give the judges something to judge and the visitors something to look at.

One prize winning item I loved was this impressive cross stitch.  

Wow! This doesn't even show all of it. Just beautiful.

Now to have a look at what else is on show.  

There was a section in the Floral Arts to create an arrangement honouring the CWA (Country Women's Association), which is celebrating its centenary,  I think this one sums it up nicely.

You have to watch a bit of the wood chop.  We were amazed at a little bloke, with a huge handicap, beating all the bigger blokes. It goes to show that technique is as important as sheer muscle.

We caught the ute display, just before they were packing up. 

 You get the feral utes.

The whacky.

And the pristine.

No visit to the show is complete until we visit sideshow ally.

We normally visit in the evening, when everything is lit up, but it was just as colourful during the daytime with the bright blue sky in the background.

You'd never catch me on this ride in a million years.  I'd be puking everywhere.

We did enjoy going on the new ferris wheel last year, so did't feel the need this time.

Of course, no show would be complete without the fireworks.  We actually watched them from our front verandah on the Saturday night.

Just this one photo turned out well enough to post.

And that is the show for another year.  There is already a bit of a drama over next year's event, as our show is traditionally a week after the completion of the Royal Easter Show, with many of their side show people travelling to Bathurst.  Sydney has pushed its show back a week next year, to fit in with school holidays, which means we will have to push our show back a week, to fit in with the Showman's Guild people.  However, there are already two other large events happening in Bathurst on that weekend.  I'm sure they will sort something out.  As they say "The Show Must Go On".