Sydney Royal Easter Show

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The Sydney Royal Easter Show, also known as the Royal Easter Show or simply The Show, is an annual show held in Sydney, Australia over two weeks around Easter. It is run by the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales and was first held in 1823. In (year) Queen Victoria awarded the society and its show the right to use the word "Royal" in its name.^[1] The Show is historically an event where "city meets country" and the rural industries of Australia can be shown and celebrated once a year. ^[2]

The Show comprises an agricultural show, an amusement park and a Fair and combines the elements of each, showcasing the judging of livestock and produce. This comprehensive fair has many competitions including arts and crafts, photography and cookery, as well as tests of strength and skill such as wood chopping. The Show also has shopping, restaurants, commercial stands and exhibits, a horticultural display, a national accredited conformation dog show and cat show, and stage and arena shows. The Show currently attracts 1 million people per year.

Contents 1 History 2 Overview 2.1 Rural industry 2.2 Horses 2.3 Domestic animals 2.4 Rural competitions 2.5 Arts and Crafts 2.6 Entertainment 3 Pricing 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

The Sydney Royal Easter Show is the largest event held in Australia, and the sixth largest in the world. The first Easter Show was held in 1823 by the newly formed Agricultural Society of New South Wales, with the aim of encouraging the colony's rural industries. The site was at Paramatta, 17 miles west of the town of Sydney, and the display included horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry.

In 1869 the venue was moved from Paramatta to Prince Albert Park until 1881 when the Government of NSW provided land for the Royal Agricultural Society at Moore Park where the show was held for 116 years. In 1998 the Show moved to Sydney Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush Bay. The former showground at Moore Park has since been converted into Fox Studios Australia with associated development known as The Entertainment Quarter. ^[3]

The Show has been held every year since 1869 except during the severe outbreak of influenza in (1915?) and between the years of 1942 and 1946 when it was interrupted by World War II. Traditionally, the Show began on the Friday before Easter, was closed on Sundays and Good Friday and packed up the Tuesday following Easter, the Monday being "Children's Day" when goods such as showbags were reduced in price.

At the RAS Showground at Moore Park, the largest single event of the Show was the Grand Parade on Easter Saturday when hundreds of beasts representing the various classes of livestock were paraded in a series of concentric circles. To the public eye, this spectacular sight, which involved creatures ranging from newborn lambs and Shetland ponies to Brahman bulls and Clydesdale stallions, was staged with such skill that it invariably took place without a hitch. However, on one memorable occasion a steer broke loose and plunged into the quarters of the Royal Agricultural Society.

Yielding to pressure from the public, the Show was later to be opened on Sundays and Good Friday. With the move to Homebush Bay, the Show was extended to two weeks. In 2007, a revised program took into account changes to NSW School Holidays, the Show commencing on the Thursday before Good Friday in order to increase the holiday time for families to attend. ^[4]

[edit] Overview

[edit] Rural industry

The first purpose of the Show is specifically to encourage agriculture. Although other aspects of the show have developed including competitions, entertainment and commerce, the display of the products of rural industry remain of major importance, the RAS claiming 30,000 rural exhibits in 2007.^[5] One of the most popular sights at the show is the "District Displays" competition. These displays are set up by four districts of NSW and South East Queensland. A theme is selected and created pictorially on a large scale, to strict rules and using only the produce of the particular district which typically includes wool, wheat, apples, pumpkins, sugar cane, citrus fruit, vegetables and brightly coloured bottles of preserves. Also displayed are other primary products such as fleeces, carcases of beef, wine, honey, cheese and sausages. There is also a flower show at which are judged both horticultural specimens and floral displays.

During the course of the show, a large range of livestock is judged. This includes the famous Merino sheep, whose fine wool was a major source of Australia's wealth in the 19th and 20th centuries. Also shown are dairy cattle of which the major breeds are the Australian Illawarra Shorthorn, Friesian, Ayrshire, Jersey and Guernsey. Beef cattle are predominantly Hereford, Aberdeen Angus and Murray Grey with other breeds including Brahman, Devon and Charolais. Other livestock judged at the show include a variety of sheep, pigs, goats, alpacas, poultry of all sorts and pigeons.

[edit] Horses

The Central Arena of the showground is used throughout the show for equestrian judging and events. The classes of judging include both horses and riders, pairs, teams, show jumping and driving. Horses shown include Australian National Saddlehorses, Stock Horses, Buckskins, Clydesdales, Hackneys, Miniature Horses, Palominos, Percherons, Pintos, Shetland Ponies, Shires, and Warmbloods. A popular sight in the arena is the Carlton & United Brewery waggon, drawn by the team of "Carlton Clydesdales".

Among the equestrian events held in the arena are polocrosse, the rodeo, tent pegging and the NSW Mounted Police Musical Ride.

[edit] Domestic animals

As part of the Royal Easter Show there is a Dog Show in which about 3,000 dogs are displayed and judged. There is also a Cat Show and competitions for caged birds, rabbits, mice and rats. Displays are given by working dogs, Kelpies, Border Collies and Australian Cattle Dogs.

[edit] Rural competitions

"The Woodchop" is one of the most popular demonstrations and competitions, taking place in a purpose-built stadium. Other popular events are the Rodeo, the Polocrosse and the Show Jumping.

[edit] Arts and Crafts

Since the 19th century competitions have been held "for the ladies". These competitions have traditionally included the making of scones, fruit cake and preserves. Crafts have traditionally included three crochetted doilies, a smocked baby dress and a man's knitted sleeveless sweater. Over 100 years the classes have been expanded to include a vast range of cooking and crafts in which men may also compete. Among the crafts are the spinning, weaving and dyeing of wool, woodwork, leatherwork, enamelling, lacemaking, embroidery, toymaking and patchwork.

The various fashions in craft have changed dramatically over the years and these changes are reflected in the number of exhibits and in the classes. From 1960 until about 1990 one of the most popular crafts was cake decorating, with numerous expert decorators vying for fineness in their "extension works" and creating designs of extraordinary delicacy and intricacy. In the 21st century these technical skills have almost disappeared. On the other hand, the art of Paper tole, also requiring of much fine control, has become a popular craft, as witnessed by the large number of entries to the competition.

Associated with the Show, and displayed in the same pavilion as the craft competitons is an Art Show with classes for Rural subjects, Still Life, Watercolour and Figrative painting. There are competitions for sculpture, photography, silverwork and ceramics.

[edit] Entertainment

[edit] Pricing

The Show organisers received public criticism for the pricing of the 2006 show.^[6] The cost was approximately AUD$30 per adult and AUD$20 per child for entry, but including food and souvenirs the estimated cost per person ran to AUD$80. This could price the Show out of reach of low income earners and poor families.

The 2007 pricing is even higher than 2006, with adults at $AUD 31.00, with a discount of 10% ($27.90) if puchased online, children's tickets are $AUD 21.50 or $19.30 with an online purchase, and concessions are $25.50 or $22.90 when bought online ^[7]

You can also purchase tickets in advance from Australia Post retailers from the 1st of February or from CityRail from the 26th of March. Website tickets are available from the 6th of February.

Showbags are priced from AU $2.00 to AU $25.00 in 2007, with over 300 different varieties to choose from.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official show website