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The Local Paper - Wednesday, July 14, 2021 - Page 13
Local History
Yeaâs first Show was in 1909 â The first official Yea Show was held on November 18, 1909 - some 110 years ago. The Yea Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Association (Show Society) notes that local residents had participated in 18 shows and exhibitions before the first AP&H Show in 1909. âIn 1874 the Yea & Alexandra Pastoral and Agricultural [Association] was formed with a predominance of Yea citizens on the committee but 17 of these early exhibitions were held at Alexandra and only one at Yea,â notes the Show Society. âThe first proposed Show in 1874, to be held in Yea, was nearly postponed because of a general election and the prevalence of a Diphtheria epidemic in the district at that time.â The Yea Show website continues the story: âIn 1909 a public meeting was called in Yea for the purpose of forming a committee to stage an agricultural show. âSeventy people attended the meeting on September 30, 1909, and this energetic committee held their first Yea Show on November 18, 1909, a magnificent effort in such a short timeframe, not only to organise the competitions but to build the infrastructure needed to hold the livestock and other exhibits. âThe first Show was held on a Thursday afternoon and evening and âalthough there was still a lot of work to do on show morning, a scene of animation was evident everywhere. âVisitors flooded in from neighbouring towns with special trains running from Seymour, Alexandra and Mansfield. The crowd was largest at 4pm and gate receipts realised a very favourable ÂŁ80.â âFor the second show in 1910 a record 600 people came down from Mansfield by special train with their livestock also on board and that town staged âa marvellous exhibitionâ. âIn 1911 a Dairy Herd competition was introduced which ran for many years reflecting the large dairy industry in the district at that time with the Yea & Mansfield Dairy Factory, still a prominent building in the town exporting butter throughout Australia and to the âMother Countryâ. âIn later years the Dalgety Beef Herd competition reflected the trend towards Beef rather than Dairy herds and was highly contested locally with several of our local properties winning the state finals. âThe 1915 Show was pronounced a great success despite the adverse conditions produced by the war and the prolonged drought and a profit of ÂŁ5 was made after donating ÂŁ20 to the patriotic fund. âOver the years of WWI the Yea Show committee continued to donate the bulk of monies raised to various war effort causes such as the Lady Stanley Fund for Wounded and Disabled Soldiers. âThe Yea Chronicle reported record entries and that âthe main Pavilion was a big attraction for the ladies for in it was exhibited all that is dear to the feminine heartâ. âThe Yea Show has continued down through the years despite battling the Depression, adverse weather conditions and the shortage of labour during the war years. âThe Show was cancelled for a few years during the Second World War and again in 1981 because of a local bushfire and in 2011 all horse
visitors, stock owners, and the public generally, whose opinion was that the ground was an ideal spot for a show. âThe exhibits, generally, were of a high order. In draught stock some exceptionally fine horses were exhibited. âThe brood mares and foals showed plenty of breeding. âMansfield supplied the bulk of the exhibits. âThe spring cart horses were a good lot, but the Killingworth horse that deservedly won the first prize, stood out conspicuously. âBlood stock was not too well represented, and there is plenty of room for improvement next year. âA two year old filly by Hymettus, the property of Mr J. Rice, showed a lot of breeding, and one shown by Mr J. C. Robertson also attracted attention.â
Show Night Concert
â Ironbark Clydesdales in the 2018 Yea Show Grand Parade. Photo: Ash Long. events in the arena were abandoned cooking, photography and country Bunch wild flowers, H. Fox, 2. Gent's with the arena underwater because excellence in a picturesque surround- button hole, Mrs Perry, 1. Floral deof torrential rain in the early hours. ing.â sign, Mrs. Perry, 1. Lady's spray, Mrs âOver the years the show has â Perry, 1. Best arranged. basket of continued to reflect the trends and The Alexandra newspaper (No- flowers, Mrs. Perry, 1. Cwt potatoes, fads in agriculture and home indus- vember 26, 1909) reported: W Creighton,. 1 and 2. Collection tries. âPresident C. Hamilton and his Potatoes, W. Creighton. Collection âA huge range of animals and pains taking secretary and commit- Fodder Plants, H. Fox; 1; 0. H. breeds have come and gone. The Yea tee are to be congratulated on the Buchholz, 2. 4lbs butter, Fox Bros; district was predominantly a dairy- great success that attended the hold- 3. Cream in pickle bottle, O. ing and wool and fat lamb district for ing of the first agricultural show in Buchholtz, 3. most of its early history but now beef Yea. â cattle, both stud and commercial, are âFor a considerable time there has The Yea newspaper was effusive predominant and this is reflected in been a desire to form a society in in its praise: the cattle show at Yea being one of Yea, and although last week's effort âNaturally the chief topic of conthe best in the state. depended upon outside support, yet versation during the past week has âHorses have also always been a there were indications of greater been the show, w'hich, owing to the strong feature at Yea with many of things in the future. strong local support and unexpectour local riders among the top riders âCertainly a majority of the prize edly strong support from Seymour, in the state, including in show jump- money went outside, yet there were Mansfield, Alexandra, Kanumbra, ing which always had a strong fol- several of the residents who held and other parts, turned out a maglowing of the nationâs top show jump- more than their own against old ex- nificent success. ers. hibitors. âAs we pointed out in our columns âLocal show jumper Jim Slavin âThis was particularly noticeable, at the very commencement, the succreated a record 6â1â height at Yea and there is no denying the fact that cess of agricultural shows depends and each year a special prize was next year greater things will result. upon such movements being wideoffered to beat that record but it was âA noticeable feature was the spread, and this proved the case with never equalled. large number of exhibitors and prize our local exhibition. âSide Show Alley has always takers from Alexandra and MansâFrom almost every station from been an integral part of any agricul- field. Mansfield to Shepparton along the tural show and for many years was âUnselfish people were not slow main line exhibits were forwarded, one of the greatest attractions for all to acknowledge the great obligation and one has only to glance at the list ages. that the Yea society was under to these of prize winners to realise how grateâWho could forget the boxing two shires and it is safe to predict a ful we should be to those at a distents, the circus acts, the novelty more friendly feeling between the tance who assisted us to make our âfreakâ shows, the spruikers on the two shires in the future. first show the brilliant success it unhigh platforms in front of the tents, âThe following- are the prize-tak- doubtedly was. many a great performer in their own ers from the Alexandra shire: Buggy âA representative of a leading right, which gave the shows such a Pony, Fox Bros., Kanumbra, 1. Pony wool firm in Melbourne remarked great atmosphere? hack,- Il. Fox, 1. Pair ponies. Fox that he had attended many country âIt has all changed now with the Bros., 1. Pair buggy horses, Tyson shows, but never had he attended one emphasis on âthe bigger. the wilder, Creighton,: Single buggy horse from which he derived so much pleathe betterâ concept for rides and the Tyson Creighton;-1; Mrs Lauder; 2: sure. costs involved for these mega ma- Maiden hunters, T. Gartlan, 1. :HuntâThe ground, he admitted, was the chines preclude their attendance in ers, T. Gartlan, 2. High Jump, J. C. making of the show. small one-day shows with a result- Wightman, 2. Ayrshire. bull, 3yrs, A. âIt was picturesquely situated, and ing fall in attendance among young E. Turner, 2. Ayrshire bull, 2rs, H. the shade trees undoubtedly put the people. Fox, 1. Ayrshire heifer, 2yrs, H. Fox, finishing touch to all. âThe 2014 Centenary Show in- 2. Jersey bull, 3yrs, T.H. Hall, 1 and âTo the forethought of the trustcluded a Friday evening Carnival champion. Jersey cow, 3 yrs, G. A. ees and secretary of the Recreation with a very successful fireworks dis- Payne, 1 and champion. Jersey heifer, Reserve, who, in the face of finanplay and so the evening Carnival 2yrs, G. A. Payne, 1 and champion. cial difficulties, laid out and planted now forms part of the festivities with Most profitable cow, A. W. Andrews, the reserve with trees in 1898, paa combined entry fee to both. 2. Yorkshire sow, any age, Fox Bros, trons of the first show owe a special âAn enormous amount of effort 1;Gander and Goose, W. Creighton. debt of gratitude, and it must be very is put into organising the Show so 1. Brown Leghorns, H. V. Lade, 1. gratifying to them to hear such a chothat the public can celebrate the best Silver Wyondottes, H. V. Lade, 1. rus of praise as they have heard durin agriculture, horticulture, crafts, White Wyondottes, H. V. Lade, 1. ing the past week from distinguished
â As far as is known, the concert, which passed off smoothly, will yield a profit of about ÂŁ12 or ÂŁ14, said a local press report on November 25, 1909. âMr W. H. and Miss Taite were mainly instrumental in its organisation but in no less a degree is the credit which they earned, due to the performers as a whole. âThe feature of the entertainment was the juvenile turns by Miss Taite's and Miss Roland's pupils. âThe first was a song and floral march, She's a Lassie from Lancashire by the following :Misses Hunter, Gow (soloists) Kidd, McLeish, Tosh, Redpath, Stainsby. Gook, Buckland, Cosgrove, M. Smith, A. Smith, Logan, Coles, Borrie, and Downie. âThe tin can band made its appearance at a later stage and to this somewhat novel accompaniment the following children sang Cupid is the Captain of the Army:- Misses Cosgrove (soloist), Stainsby, Buckland, M. Smith, A. Smith, Coles, Kidd, Hunter, Gow, McLeish, Tosh, Redpath, Gook, Downie and Borrie. Masters Buckland, Cosgrove, McIntosh, Hunter, Tosh and Teddy Morkbam. âThe above item was a very entertaining one. âSome of Miss Roland's pupils were seen in a pretty rainbow ribbon dance, their names being: Misses Quinlan, Logan, Coles, R. Coles, Wightman, McLeish, Thomas, Cosgrove, A. Smith, I. Smith, Tosh, Gow and B. McLeish. âThe following also contributed to the programme viz:Misses Fordyce, Daley, and Edes; Messrs Dunn, McConville, Edes, Templeton, Taite, and G. Templeton. âThe latter is a brother of Mr T. H. Templeton, his recitations, especially the "Amateur Rider" were splendidly given, and roundly appauded. âMr W. Taite's comic numbers were among the best received and most acceptable during the evening; âThe lyric orchestra. conducted by Mr Stainsby, rendered valuable assistance.â