We took a more frugal approach. Well frugal, that is, after we forked out $100 to get in and $20 to park. By frugal I mean we let the kids have one showbag each and then drag them around to all the 'free' events we paid our $100 to see.
We are all fun in a bucket.
Our approach is to arrive just as the show opens and head straight for the showbag hall. This year Firegazer and I took a child each and agreed to meet outside when the loot had been purchased.
Big mistake.
I took Blossom into the showbag hall and came out with this Moove Backpack from Dairy Farmers. Contents: 2 x flavoured milks, beach racquet set, groovy sunglasses, ice pack.
M wins mother.of.the.year award.
Firegazer takes PL and comes out with an Army bag containing 3 x military assault rifles.
I was expecting a Ben 10 bag or perhaps a Spongebob bag.
Firegazer does not win father.of.the.year award.
Luckily my nerves were soothed by watching the dog shows. Or, more precisely, watching the people who own the dogs on show. Have you seen the movie Best in Show? If not, you must see it.
Then off to my other favourite - the district displays. What is not to love about seeing apples and pears lovingly arranged in a sea of grain and wool. Each district in NSW plus South East Queensland puts on a display symbolising their local produce in a creative way. It amuses me that, apparently, even the driest part of the State is able to produce a bounty of apples of all varieties...
A quick trip to visit the arts and crafts section and then ...
... the woodchop! The Easter show hosts the WORLD WOODCHOPPING CHAMPIONSHIP each year. This means that in addition to competitors from most Australian States the occasional New Zealander, Canadian and American competes. This year even France sent a competitor. Of course they were all rubbish compared to our rough tough Aussies. We fool them with our hard Eucalypts.
By now the kids are begging for fairy floss or some deep fried atrocity on a stick. We offer them a water and forge onwards...
... to the main arena for the precision driving and the narly boys on motorbikes. Excellent stuff.
Last of all we head to what is possibly my favourite part of the show...
... the working dogs. Just love a border collie that wants to run, jump and herd sheep.The show is 'done' by 1pm and we head home with nary a deep fried cheese.on.a.stick being consumed.
Like I said, we are fun with a capital F. Who wants to come with us next year?
16 comments:
IN the town I grew up in, woodchops were a Very Big Thing. Some of those guys were celebs at the Royal Easter Show, but never talked about it. Sydney doesn't really rate in a typical small town where it's all about cutting the people down, as well as the trees, if that makes sense.
Whether it does or not, the woodchops are amazing; the sound of the handicapped start of the woodchops, first one axe, then the next, then maybe two ... then you're wondering how on earth the last guy could ever catch up and then he finally starts and then He Wins!
Ooh. And I don't even take my city kids to the show. Bad me.
(but I did let the eldest watch Best In Show.)
LOVE the handicap woodchop. The winner of one event started on a handicap of 13 and still won.
What I do want to know is why they ALL wear Dunlop Volleys. All of them. I get they are comfy. I'd be getting me steel-capped Volleys.
Ooohhhh, i'm with Bec on the woodchop, and that description of the handicap had me there again, and it's been YEARS.
God, I love a country show.
The last time we went to the Melb version, I must say I was pretty disappointed. But then, the city Mister is not into woodchops or dog trials ( I *love* Best in Show!! ). He only really goes to keep me happy, perhaps next year..
Had to laugh at the showbags.
No, I would not have been impressed either..
Well we tell the kids that we go every second year. This has worked a treat until suddenly, Felix has clicked and said, 'but we didn't go last year'.
Still, we're hoping a week camping has made him forget about the Show...
I'd like to go to the show with you, M. You do all the things I like to do and with both of us there the ugly showbag incident could have been avoided.
Did you see the dogs n sheep display? I love the dogs rounding up sheep display.
And the ponies, and the cows, and the kitties in cages and the chookies and ... everything except the stoopid rides.
I was watching the wood chopping in Perth when I was a wee tacker and an axe head came off and flew into the stands. Very exciting - didn't hit anyone (that time).
It looks like Firegazer has bought 3 x H&K MP5. Do they need batteries?
Boy on a bike: The rifles do not need batteries, they are powered by their own mysterious forces.
DancingMorganMouse: We missed the sheep dogs rounding up the sheep by this much. But we did see the Border Collies do lots of other cool stuff. We avoided all but one of the rides - PL went on the dodgem cars by himself for the first time.
The advantage of having taken the kids to Disneyland is that the rides at the show now hold no appeal. Yay.
I love the Show and would go every year if someone else would accompany myself and the boys.
I used to go back in my horsey days so do like to keep an eye on the whole equestrian thing.
I love the dogs - especially back stage where they're doing the primping and preening. I've never seen so much hairspray and talc as before the samoyd class.
Showbags are excellent. Very funny
!
Last time we went to the Show here in Melbourne we came home having signed up for two badly-behaved Bengals. I think you got off lightly with replica semi-automatic weapons.
I'm guessing that Firegazer felt right at home with the dogs as he was certainly in the dog house after that one. Rob so would have done that too.
I like the working dogs best. Wonder if they could be trained to herd children?
Sounds like you had fun M.
Lucky you didn't buy the little bit of luxury bag - it was full of old magazines I heard (March 2008)
We are going to try to take the littles (maybe with the twin pram to mow down the people who block our path) ... no showbags for them they have no idea YET.
I can't wait.
Ps do you have a link for parking ? I am too lazy to look it up
Gosh, it's been an age since we did a big show. We have our small 'local' version which I do every year but not a real big city show. I love the atmosphere and the excitement - I do not like the cost. I would have shot firegazer, I think!
We never took Miss & Master A in Sydney, my theory was if they asked we might have considered it but they never did.
This year they heard about the Canberra show and both wanted to go, so we set a budget for each kid, went and saw all of the animals etc first, walked past all the rides on the way to the show bags so they could decide to blow it all on bags or save some for rides. Worked well 'cept for the speeding ticket on the way home which blew the budget completely!
Last week while I worked and The Man had kid duties at home, I came home from work and found him playing Medal Of Honour on the computer while our 4yo watched. What was he seeing exactly? Oh, only the shooting, stabbing and granade-exploding of people. The Man only realised the serious error of his ways when we were getting 'shot' at with well-aimed fingers for the next few days whenever we had to tell him off. I wonder about men, I REALLY DO.
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