After a two years gap with no Jamestown Show (due to Covid), the Jamestown AH & F Society were delighted with the return of their patrons to their “Looking forward, Looking Back” 2022 Show.
The Show held over two full days on October 2nd and 3rd had magnificent mild and non-windy weather, with an estimated attendance of 8,000 over the two days and a total gate of $37,177. This compares with a gate of $29,349 received for the 2019 Show. (Admission prices were the same).
The Show was opened by the Minister of Trade, Senator Don Farrell at 1.30pm on Sunday. He has connections with Jamestown, with his great grandmother the first midwife in Jamestown. She is buried in the Jamestown Cemetery. Prior to the opening, Vice-President James Moore presented Service Awards to Pam Staker, Trevor Crawford and Ian Bradtke, for their dedicated service over many years, and President Matt Scharkie presented Life Membership to two recipients in Kaye Bottrall and David Cooper. Kaye has been a stalwart of the Show over many years, serving as Secretary from 2007 until 2011, as well as a Committee Member for many years, in addition to oversight over Stacey Pavilion. David Cooper began his involvement with the Show as a Poultry Exhibitor at the age of 12, Convened the Poultry Section for many years, became President at short notice in 2016 and during his term as President reinvigorated the Society, returning the Show to a two day format in 2017.
A feature of the Show was the Sheep Shearing on both days, with large crowds watching the performances of South Australia’s premier shearers. On the Sunday there was the Speed Shear, and on the Monday the Sports Shear, during which the SA Shearers and Woolhandlers were selected for the Australian Shearing Championships, to be staged in conjunction with the Bendigo Show. Local Shearer, Beau Growden won the Shear Magic Open Championship, and will be SA’s number 1 shearer in the Australian Championships.
The Society conducted its third Ag. Industry Q&A in the Big Shed on the Monday from 2-3.30pm, with Will Bray being Chairman and Panel Members: Kate Pearce (Orroroo mother of two and Manager of Northern and Yorke Landscapes Board), Hon Clare Scriven (Minister of Primary Industries), Hon Rob Kerin (former Premier, Regional Development SA Chairperson), Ben Browne (Mayor of Northern Areas Council) and Rowan Ramsey (Member for Grey) answering questions on the inadequacy of Childcare in Rural areas, Kangaroo harvesting, Trade issues particularly with China, and the lack of shipping containers, Road Transport issues, Rural Health issues and the process in the appointment of a new CEO for the Northern Areas Council. (Ill health precluded the Minister of Trade from being part of the Panel).
The latest addition to the Society’s buildings on Victoria Park, a new Poultry and Wool Pavilion (situated just north of the oldest – the 122 year old Stacey Pavilion), was officially opened at 12 noon on the Monday by John and Pam Staker and Peter Hunter). The erection of this building, largely funded with a Federal Government grant, enabled the Society to remove the ageing original Poultry Pavilion and the “Plugger Hall” Shearing and Wool Building, and freeing up space between the Big Shed and the Football Clubrooms.
By Leith Cooper
