The staging of the 60th Jandowae Show on March 29, 2008 was a milestone the local community could certainly be proud of.

To mark the occasion the Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency Mrs Quentin Bryce was invited to open the Show. Accompanied by her husband Michael, Mrs Bryce performed this task , enjoyed a well catered for luncheon (thanks to the Uniting Church ladies and Miss Showgirl entrants) and toured the showgrounds in her three-hour visit. Unfortunately it was at a time of the day when the crowd is not at its biggest but those that were in attendance appreciated her input.

Miss Showgirl, Jaquie Nauschutz, gave an address prior to the Governor’s Show Opener. Jaquie had been crowned at the successful Miss Showgirl Dinner held at the Golf Club in mid February. Special thanks must go to Sue Wilson and others for the work she put in organising this event.

A number of Awards of Appreciation were presented to people that have been instrumental in the success of the Jandowae Show over the years. Show Patron Mr Neville Schumann performed this task on behalf of the committee and all recipients were proud of their well deserved awards. Recipients were Mavis Berghoffer, Mary Blinco, Maree Cameron, Dudley and Helen Cronin, Bill Dalzell, Leona Gadsby, Ross and Heather Gersekowski, Karen Gowlett, Peggy Greenup, Ivan Grundy, Jack and Wendy Hill, Celie Jeitz, Bev Lindenberg, Beryl McKenna, Janelle Mittelstadt, Evelyn Nauschutz, Graham Nelson, Len and Gwen Pain, Ray and Daph Polzin, Ruth Sargent, Faith Schumann, Waveney Skinner, Sue Wilson, Pam Wood and Bruce and Dianne Wood.

The pavilion stewards responsible for each section did a fine job of pulling it into shape for the show. It was satisfying to see the pavilion almost overflowing with exhibits – the fullest it has been for some time. The Fine Arts section was impressive as usual and contributed an amount of money back to the Show through paintings sold. One point of note is that there are not many young people getting involved in the pavilion, with many of the stewards having contributed to their sections for many years. While the efforts of these people are very much appreciated, for the show to be sustainable we need ‘new blood’ to ‘pass the baton to’.

Due to the restrictions caused by the Equine Influenza outbreak of 2007, horses were not present at the show for the first time in many years. The ban on horse movements was lifted just prior to the show but an executive decision had to be made prior to this time to save confusion among competitors. At the time, there were too many obstacles standing in the way of allowing horses to travel to the show and with Jandowae situated in a position which put it in the centre of three quarantine zones, it was decided to have no horse events in 2008.

With centre ring potentially having no action, the 60 head of Stud Beef Cattle were shifted to the arena. This worked well and the judge’s commentary was broadcast throughout the grounds, however there was not much of an audience to appreciate the exhibits on parade.

A new Chief Steward in Alex Haig was appointed to the Prime Cattle section. With the help of some old and new hands, a showing of approximately 80 head was achieved – something that didn’t look possible only five days out from the show. In my opinion, the lack of enthusiasm from potential exhibitors from the local area puts a question mark over the future of the Prime Cattle section.

There was a large number of stall holders that attended the show. All space that was in eyesight of the public was pretty much taken up. This, along with a large number of side show attractions (the largest attendance in many years) made for a real carnival atmosphere. The increase in side show attractions, which is out of the control of the committee, was a product of the fact that there was only one other show (Dirranbandi) on our weekend. While it was great to have them all, I question, due to the oversupply, whether any of the owners had a financially successful show and whether they are inclined not to return next year. We do need rides at our show every year to attract the public.

A highly successful rodeo was staged by Honky Tonk Rodeo Promotions. Their professionalism is first class and they always put on a good show and certainly pull in the crowd. Cattle for the steer and poddy rides were kindly donated by Steve and Karen Horrigan. Terry Arnold played his live music into the night. This was well received and the crowd was easy to manage when we got to the end of the night.

It was estimated that a total of 900 people attended the show – an increase from the previous year. Both membership and gate takings increased in comparison to the previous year.

No show is possible without its sponsors and Jandowae certainly had a large number once again, representing local and out-of-town businesses and families. Margaret Atkinson did a sterling job in contacting sponsors and the response was very much appreciated. We also received grants totalling $10,358 in the form of $6,858 from the Queensland Government and $3,500 from the Wambo Shire Council ( of which $1,000 was for insurance and $2,500 for entertainment).

As a show we are certainly in direct competition with other attractions, both near and far. It is obvious that many people arrive at the show late in the afternoon, have a look around then enjoy the night entertainment. The agricultural-based livestock and produce sections are obviously not of as much interest to visitors as they once were. I believe the future of shows may lie in finding alternatives or additions that may bring people along for a longer period of time.

I must thank the committee for a job very well done. It has been a big learning curve for a number of us but I know most feel much more confident to take on the next show. Our secretary Margaret Atkinson has put in more time than most of us put together and done a magnificent job. In combination with treasurer, Kylie Brownhall they have made a great team and the show ran very smoothly due to their organisation. Vice Presidents Celie Jeitz, Marie Cameron and Sue Wilson have also been a support in many ways in the different fields they were involved in. I thank you all for your contributions.

Finally, I would like to thank all of those members (including a number of special past committee members) who do not have official roles at present but turn up time and time again at meetings and/or to help out preparing for and cleaning up after the show. You are the heart and soul of this event and the community and I thank you very much for your support.