The 107th annual Finley Show on Sunday will be the place to be for fun-seekers from all over the district ready to officially welcome spring.
Not only will the day provide fun for every member of the family, but the show’s Father’s Day date makes it a great chance to celebrate dad.
With gates opening at 6am for the truly keen showgoer, there will be plenty to keep everyone entertained throughout the day.
After a fantastic performance at last year’s show, Lachie Cossor the Outback Stockman is back again to wow attendees with his horsemanship, livestock handling, musical talents, and all-round entertainer prowess.
See the showgrounds from a different vantage point with free carriage rides with Colonial Clydesdals & Carriages, led by gentle giants Ben and Jack. And don’t leave without brightening up your face with free face painting by Cheeky Smiles Face Painting.
You won’t want to miss the always popular free cupcake decorating with Finley Bakery at noon, and entertainment by Ray Macartney from lunchtime onwards. Plus, there’ll be cute and cuddly animals in the animal nursery.
And as always, there will be the usual horse, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, poultry and pavilion events to look at and watch, as well as machinery displays, vintage cars and tractors, and plenty of market stalls to browse.
Junior Showgoer judging will be from 10.30am on the lawn near the Bob Close Pavilion, which will also see Lady of the Day and Father of the Day picked from the crowd. So make sure you’re dressed to impress the judges.
Not to be missed in the afternoon is the Wynne Hawkins Memorial Champion of Champions at 2pm, followed by the official opening and grand parade at 2.30pm.
The Finley Public School P&C is also hosting the annual show day raffle, with three prizes up for grabs, which include an iPad and a Yeti Pack.
There will also be plenty of food to treat yourself with, including coffee, ice cream, Slinky Spudz, smoked barbecue, fish and chips, dim sum, cheesecake, sweet and savoury crêpes, beef jerky, and pocket kebabs, as well as the Little Athletics barbecue and the Murray Hut CWA in the luncheon pavilion.
And if you’ve left your Father’s Day gift until the last minute, other vendors will be selling candles, clothing, knick-knacks, honey, jewellery, personalised tumblers, and the all-important showbags.
Those attending the show will have the chance to win a $350 Whitton Malt House voucher, just be sure to fill in your lucky gate ticket and put it in the box at the secretary’s office or main pavilion before 2pm. The winner will be drawn during the official opening.
While the show officially takes place on Sunday, there are a few events to be enjoyed on Saturday afternoon, including the beef cattle junior handlers and junior judging from 12.30pm, and the Heifer Bonanza at 4.30pm.
And don’t worry, there’s still time to finalise your entries for the show competitions. Entries can be submitted via ShowdayOnline, but help is also available at the show office on the showgrounds, which is open daily from 10am to 4.30pm.
Fleece and schoolwork entries are due by 4.30pm today (September 3), while poultry entries close at 11.59pm tonight. Photography and literature entries are due by 4.30pm Thursday, September 4.
Entries from the remaining pavilion sections close online at 9pm on Friday, September 5, with exhibits due in the pavilion by noon Saturday. Horse and livestock entries close at 11.59pm Friday.
The show gates will be manned from noon on Saturday, with entry covering both days.
Adult tickets are $15, children (6-17 years) are $5, children under 5 get in free, and an aged pension ticket is $10. A family pass for two adults and children up to the age of 17 is $40.
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