17 - May 2018 - Miles Show

I stayed in Condamine overnight, camped near the main road instead of at the back with other campers. And a very busy road it is, too! Large trucks, and by that I mean road trains, passing every ten minutes or so all night. After a while I got used to it although from time to time a particularly thunderous vehicle went past.

So as usual up with the strange sounding birds, shower, cuppa, and idle from 7am until 11am when I drove off to Miles 33km away. Of course the Telstra outage on Monday had cleaned me out of cash when I handed over my remaining notes and My Precious laundry coins, so first stop was the ATM.

 I never really grokked this 45º rear-to-kerb parking thing, but I finally did it!

Then topped up the tank ready for the next journey and moseyed on down to the Miles Showgrounds. Very nice they are, too. Apart from the horse paddock and the art/Craft pavilion everything else was spread out through a copse of tall pine trees which gave the Show a bit of a "surprise around every corner" feel, and a shady aspect in the warm sun.

First stop was the stage, with shows by local kids with their music teacher.

There's a performing child behind that music stand!

And another one behind that music stand!

10 / 10 for getting up and doing it!
(But there's a good reason the seats were nearly empty)

Then off to the poultry pavilion to size up tomorrow's dinner, perhaps.

1st Prize winner looks plump and ready.

Or perhaps canard à l'orange?

We are the champions! We are the champions!

Wasn't quite sure whether the child was for sale as well ...

The sign says $8 each. Pricey for breakfast!

Nearby were some goats. They were for sale as well. More than breakfast, methinks.

Back into the Arts and Crafts pavilion.

Little handcrafts

Big handcrafts

HUGE participation by local schools ...

Then out to the horse rings ...

Again the different coat colours ...

4th Dan in Amble Amble, perhaps?

A mini-me Thelwel

Plenty of sideshows. No HERO rides, but a few different and new compared with "darn sarth".

Angry Birds catapult. Nothing on our blunderbuss in Fairfield!

The real thing

Spread among the trees

A bit empty, but then I had arrived early AGAIN!

Air rifles

The cattle ring was over the back of the pines. There were many cattle, but these guys from Wallan caught my eye.

Finally, this local guy fancied himself as a bit of a bush poet. All I got out of it was a load of "shock value" bigotry and not a great deal of cleverness.

And that was about it. A different atmosphere. A real cattle presence for the first time. Huge participation by schools. Brave kids on stage. And a bush poet prepared to give it a go, even if I didn't appreciate his style.

Back to Condamine to prepare and publish this Show report. Next show is at Chinchilla on Saturday.

16 - May 2018 - Wee Waa Show

Now THIS was pleasant.

I arrived at around midday and while the crowds were not huge there was a lot going on in this sprawling show.

These guys were leaning on the fence, talking. As one does.

Just across the way the kids were learning how to judge cattle.

Straight into the pavilions and I risked my liberty reaching over the barrier to get an unimpeded pic of the Lego.

Some nice flowers.

And nice vegetables (no Vegan tricks like Coonamble)

Some nice patchwork

Lots of school participation, and lots of first prizes.

The wool section.

Working dog comp.

A fully loaded and working sideshow alley with big kid rides.

Some old fashioned stuff for the traditionalists.

This horse won the crochet competition for its special ear warmer.

This horse didn't want to jump.

But got into the spirit of things a bit later.

You call that a bull bar? THIS is a bull bar!

More jumpers jumping 

This Holden was labelled "Loudest at Narrabri Show"

The flag thing is contagious

The sign-writing on this one tells it all

This Toyota was at risk of developing an issue with identity

These oldies had no issue with identity. That's a Fargo carrying a Jeep, another Jeep behind it, a lime (of course) Valiant, a Studebaker ...

And this nice Dodge.

This bloke was teaching kids how to dry dishes without touching them.

The Thelwell brigade

Do they have grading like Karate, with different coloured jackets at each grade?

These guys were starting a woodchop comp. The big guy on the left was in his 20s and was started first. The wiry 30-ish guy in the middle started 10 seconds later.

And the 70-ish guy on the right started 10 seconds after him. Facing forward.

The old guy was first to turn

And then it became clear exactly what this competition was all about

The 30-ish guy turned second

Followed by the brawny young guy

But the old guy decided to walk away

and had a rest while he waited for the other two to finish.

The big 20s guy started the second comp

Followed by the 30-ish guy

And finally the old guy started

He turned first again

And finished first again

Followed by the 30-ish guy

And with the young guy finishing a couple of minutes later

And no Show would be complete without a big mutha toy.

Next show: Miles, QLD