The organisers expect 100,000 people to attend the three days of the Royal Canberra Show, half as paying visitors and half involved directly with the competitions and exhibits.
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They reckon numbers will be up on last year which was poorly attended because of rain. They've also lowered ticket prices to try to bump the attendance up.
There are some innovations:
- "Canberra on Show" features about 50 stalls set up by local organisations, including ones offering food;
- "Car soccer" where, as the promo puts it, "four professional drivers use motor vehicles to kick a giant inflatable soccer ball around the football field"; and
- the return of the woodchopping competition.
For professional entertainment, the highlight may well be country star Gina Jeffreys.
On Thursday, before the public was allowed in, competitions were already under way, with horse events and cattle displays taking place.
Kids who study agriculture at Canberra Grammar School were helping to prettify a heifer, transforming it into what they hoped would be a show-stopping winner.
Seamus Stuckey from Condobolin boards at the school. He said about the Canberra show, "This is much bigger than the one I'm used to."
A team from Orange High School were hoping to sell their bull, Monty. "This show is like a big local show," 16-year-old Mel Campbell said.
Ten-year-old Hallie Halpin-Bishop was pleased to have won the Shetland Pony Gelding Under 8.2 Hands competition even though her diminutive pony, Helpline Touchdown (aka Casper) was being difficult. "He's bitten my hand and my thumb" the rider said. Standing at 8.2 hands, which is the same as 0.83 metres, Casper is half of Hallie's height.
Her victory was some compensation for the death of her other pony which was recently bitten by a snake.
The show as a public event opens at 8.30am and runs until 10pm on Friday and Saturday, and until 6.30pm on Sunday.
Organisers have reduced ticket prices by about 40 per cent. Adults would pay $20 for entry at the gate, down from $30 last year. Child and concession tickets have been cut from $18 to $12, and families will pay $50 instead of $72.
The show's new chief executive Athol Chalmers said shortly after he took over that he was confident the show would break even despite the reduced ticket prices.
"We're confident that, having done the numbers, with this reduction we can create generate the increased traffic that will make us meet the targets," Mr Chalmers said.
Two years ago, the organisers decided to drop wood chopping because of the cost as the show struggled financially but the event has been reinstated this year.
"There was a lot of financial pressure on the organisers but it's coming back because all the surveys show that people love wood chopping," Mr Chalmers said.
Children who go to the show are advised:
- Do not make any sudden movements or loud noises. This may startle the animals.
- Do not poke or tease animals or imitate the sound any animal makes.
- Only touch animals if the owner is present and gives his or her permission to do so.
- Do not stand behind the animals.
- Quietly speak to the animal as you approach to avoid frightening the animal.
- Move slowly in single file when around animals. Cows can see nearly 360 degrees without moving their heads.
