Celebrating 150th Hay Show - a history
A message from the President
I recently received a letter from past Show Secretary, Mick Beckwith, who reminisced about his time with the Hay Show, how he met new people and simply enjoyed being part of the event.
Mick has been just one of a long line of people who have committed to make the Hay Show happen each year and I would like to thank everyone who has made the commitment to either be a part of the committee, enter in to the competitions or just turn up and enjoy a day at the show.
On September 6 and 7 Hay will celebrate its 150th show, 158 years since a committee was elected to form the Hay Pastoral Association.
The vision may have changed from the first show in 1868 but the show is still a competition of excellence whether it be wool, knitting, cooking, growing flowers or art work.
But let us not forget the fun found in side show alley, the fireworks, the food, the market stalls, the sashing of our showgirls and boys and most importantly a day out with family and friends.
I encourage everyone to open their eyes to the wonder of the Show and join the committee as we celebrate the 150th Hay Show. It’s your show.
Jill Chapman, Hay Show Society President
Childhood memories of Hay Show
By Kimberly Grabham
When I was a child, we lived in the housing commission area of Hay, in Murray Street, directly across from the Show.
A serious child, I rarely let enthusiasm show, but when the wattle tree out the front of our house began to bloom, I would get excited, knowing show time was just around the corner.
Bring on my grandmother getting us into our best dresses, sorting out what time we would set off, and around the bend to show we went.
I would be dazzled with the patterned fans you could buy, kewpie dolls and the many sights and smells of the show.
It was always a must to go through the pavilion to find your handwriting and see if you were lucky enough to have won an award, with 50 cents taped on the back in those days.
After enjoying all the fun and excitement, we would traipse home, dump out all our showbags on the floor and marvel at the contents while the adults enjoyed an afternoon nap.
Sitting on the floor on my own, I would often twirl the kewpie doll around, imagine it dancing and enjoy the pretty bright colours of its dress and painted shoes.
Scoffing fairy floss until I was sick, I would still have to find room for meat and three veg at the evening meal, or face the consequences. Fairy floss still sounds like a delightful dinner to me, to this day.
Even hearing the hurricane chug away and the squeals of the people riding it was fun, we could hear it all from where we lived. It was always something to look forward to, a weekend to remember.
150th Hay Show but more than 150 years
By Krista Schade
Hay Show is this year celebrating its 150th event, but not in its 150th year. The first Hay Show was held in 1868, but the event has been disrupted several times across its history.
Despite earlier plans, in 1883 the Hay Pastoral Association decided not to hold a show, due to harsh conditions. Public notice advertisements announcing the show dates ran throughout April and early May, however The Riverine Grazier reported on May 26, 1883 that the decision to cancel had been made.
“This decision was arrived at on the grounds that owing to the dryness of the season there would not be a sufficient entry of stock,” the report read.
In between details of a pound sale by Mr Butterworth and a tender notice for roads, ran the one sentence on June 6. “It is officially announced that the Hay Pastoral Association will not hold their usual show this season.”
A editorial, presumably penned by editor John Andrew, was published later in The Riverine Grazier and the tone was not sympathetic.
“While we are not going to say that the holding of no show this season reflects upon the Hay Pastoral Association, we must hold that the Lachlan Pastoral and Agricultural Association is untitled to the greatest credit for the splendid program it has got up for the 2nd of August, a program that would be a credit to the best societies in the colony.
“The reason put forward by the Hay Pastoral Association for not holding a show was the character of the season, which rendered it questionable whether stock could be travelled or would be in a condition to travel. Deniliquin was no better off in respect to season than Hay, yet the society there decided to go on, and the result has been more entries than for some years.”
The Riverine Grazier, July 21, 1883.
In September 1914, The Riverine Grazier reported the Show would be abandoned, following the outbreak of World War I.
“A special meeting of the committee of the Hay Pastoral and Agricultural Association took place on Saturday. There were present:- Mr J. Johnston (vice president), and Messrs Horton, Esplin, Melrose, Gibbs, Maclure, Browne, Barnett and Lugsdin.
The special business of the meeting was to consider whether, in view of the existing circumstance, the Show should be held this year.
Mr G. R. Ayre telephoned apologising for his non-attendance, and stating that he was opposed to the Show.
Mr Harry L Austin wrote that he would be inclined to hold the Show, if the committee thought it would be supported. The Melbourne Show was going to be held. The war might be over by the end of September.
Mr JR Gibson wrote that on account of the war and the season he thought it advisable to cancel the Show.
Mr RW Ronald, president, wrote that he agreed it would be well to cancel the Show, so far as the pastoral and agricultural part of it was concerned, on account of the war and the drought, but he suggested that it might be feasible' to hold an industrial show in some building in town.
After a brief discussion, Mr Henry B Maclure moved that in view of the war and the drought conditions the Show be abandoned for this season. Mr G. R. Horton seconded the motion.
Mr WH Gibbs opposed the abandoning of the Show.
Mr Melrose agreed with Mr Maclure. He could not remember when the prospects were so bad for a show as at the present time. Mr G Esplin agreed with the motion. The motion was put, and carried.”
The Riverine Grazier, September 1, 1914.
The following year Mr HB Maclure moved that the show be held in October 1915. He said “the holding of a show was of big monetary value to the shopkeepers of the town. He did not think it would be wise to drop the show for a second year.”
The motion was carried unanimously.
According to the headlines in The Riverine Grazier on October 8, the 1915 Hay Show was “A Very Successful Function”, held in “Glorious Weather” with “Splendid Attendances.”
It seems conflict or not, Hay was keen to come together and keep the Show going.
The Show was successfully held throughout the years of the Great War, from 1916 until peace was declared in 1918, often with Show results appearing on the same pages as news from the battlefields.
Unhampered by conflict, Hay Show enjoyed an uninterrupted run of events, held each September or October.
Despite the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, the show was still held, albeit after a 24-hour postponement due to bad weather.
In 1940 the Hay Pastoral and Agricultural Association held a patriotic sport carnival and gymkhana in place of the show, raising funds for the war effort.
The entire town took a public holiday to take part and members of the 16th Battalion Garrison gave the day “a decidedly military atmosphere,” according to the report in The Grazier.
The gala day program was repeated from 1941 to 1945, while Hay Show was in recess.
After the end of World War II from 1946 Hay Show returned to its normal format and enjoyed many decades of bringing people together until a global pandemic once again caused the gates to close.
The outbreak of COVOD-19 in early 2020 resulted in the cancellation of Hay Show in 2020 and 2021.
With determination to remain positive, Hay took part in a state-wide campaign “No Show Scarecrow” with many local businesses and families displaying scarecrows in lieu of a show.
Hay Pastoral Association from the beginning
By Jill Chapman
A preliminary public meeting for the proposed Prize Show of the Hay Pastoral Association of Hay was held at the Court House on December 10, 1866.
It was agreed to form a committee to initiate the association. At a meeting of the promoters of the Hay Pastoral Association on April 8, 1867 it was resolved that the first General Meeting be held on the first day of May, 1867.
And so began the history of the Hay Pastoral Association, also referred to as the Hay Pastoral and Agricultural Association and more recently the Hay Show Society.
The first show of the Association was to have been held on November 12, 1867 but was cancelled due to the continued prevalence of floods in the district. The first Show of Stock was held on August 12, 1868, with classes for horses, sheep, cattle and pigs.
The first application by the Association for a permanent ground was made to the Minister of Lands in December 1869.
The letter stated that the Association had been in existence for three years, was second to none in the state; that the exhibitions were held on private land, and consequently, were put to great expense in the erection of sheep yards and sheds with no right to permanency.
As a result the Association was given permission to occupy approximately four acres being the area between Cadell, Coke and Stephen Streets, north of the pumping station.
By the end of 1879 the Association not only occupied the area mentioned but had crept over Cadell Street and the fences embraced almost the whole of section 20 in Church, Coke and Stephen Streets and yards and a shed had been erected without permission.
In 1886 the area had grown to nearly nine acres, but the Association realised that it was insufficient for future requirements and in 1889 they applied for a new site near the railway station.
The site of 15 acres was dedicated on December 3, 1892, with a further 10 adjoining acres granted in 1898 and by 1939 had been increased to 70 acres.
With the enthusiasm and initiative of the Hay district forefathers the Show has been a regular event for most of the intervening years.
A drought, wars and COVID19 pandemic have contributed to some years without shows but otherwise the Hay Show has been a regular part of the district calendar. The Hay Show is the longest running community event in Hay and is older than the Hay Shire Council and The Riverine Grazier.
Whilst initially the competition was stock focussed, this has slowly waned to the point where only horses and dogs remain.
The Sheep Show initiated by the Show Society outgrew the Show and has run separate dates for over seventy years and finally as a separate identity.
The Sheep Show continues to play an important role in the region attracting interstate interest and recognition. Wool has been on display for many years and in the last couple of years it has been pleasing to have many more fleeces entered.
When considering the history of the 150 shows, the event has been a drawcard for the local community and district. Competitions through the schools and in sections such as horticulture, arts and craft, sewing and photography showcase the skills and talents of the community which would otherwise not have been seen.
The holding of an annual show has offered the opportunity to showcase new innovations including the likes of the Wolseley Shearing Machine which came to Hay in 1888 along with rabbit exterminators.
Many household appliances were featured over the years as well as information booths sharing the latest products on the market. Cars, tractors and farm equipment were displayed and there were competitions for wood chopping, highland dancing and in 1896 the winning agricultural display included forty- nine different implements including items such as ploughs, woolpresses and pumps.
Many buildings have come and gone over the past 126 years and whilst the community reflects on the annual show it is important to acknowledge the contribution made by the Show Society to the community with the grounds now used for the Hay Races, the Hay Sheep Show, the Hay Rodeo, The Hay Gun Club and also offers camping and venue hire.
The Norm Smith Pavilion was funded by the Hay Show and erected in 1965 by DG Harrison and Sons. Now nearly 60 years old the Pavilion has served the show well but has also become a community asset and an integral part of the Showgrounds.
The journey of 150 shows has been shared by community groups such as the CWA and the Girl Guides and so many others. The strength and longevity of the Hay Show has always been its community and moving forward it will continue to be the same.
These days there is no public holiday for the Show, there is no train to bring visitors from neighbouring towns and our successful sporting teams are often out of town on Show Day. But the show continues and it tells a story of resilience and its willingness to adapt to meet the community of the day.
The men of the district showed considerable foresight when they undertook to create the Hay Pastoral Association and the men and women who have continued the tradition are to be thanked.
Understandably the journey has had many challenges through drought, floods, finances and willing committee members.
The Hay Show has weathered all these challenges and it proudly will celebrate its 150th show on the evening of Friday 6th and Saturday the 7th of September.
It is up to the community of Hay to ensure that the tradition of an annual show is valued and ongoing for many more years to come.
This image of the 1963 Hay Show Girl entrants was described in The Riverine Grazier as making a “pretty picture on the lawn following judging. First place went to Beverly Hanna (seated, centre) and she forever has the honour of being Hay’s first ever Miss Show Girl. She is flanked by Valda Milliken (right) and Valerie Atkins.
Back row from left: Brenda McFarland, Margaret Wright, Robyn Clarke, Shirley Pedrana, Margaret Middleton, Shirley Fulwood, Monica Cooper, Dianne Rothe, Elizabeth Eason, Merrilyn Patterson, Margaret Morris, Zelda Lewis and Shirley Reid.
