Half century as steward
Reflections on the past as the Ekka launches historic photo competition
HE HAS been attending the Ekka every year since 1939, but Ken Crotty still loves show time.
“Oh, I look forward to it every year,” the honorary council steward said.
In fact, there was still a note of disappointment in his voice when he recalled the week in the 50s when he only had the chance to attend one show day out of the seven.
“That was in 1951. I only got to go on the Monday because I had the call-up for National Service. I was 18 then. So that year I only went for the one day,” he said.
“I have gone every year except for the year they didn’t have one in 1942. That was when the army was camped up there.”
In celebration of the Royal Queensland Show’s 140th year, an online forum has been launched for residents to submit their own historic Ekka photos.
As the competition is all about reflecting on years gone by, the Rural Weekly chatted to Mr Crotty to learn from an expert about the trends he has noticed within the show ring.
After beginning his apprenticeship as a butcher in 1946 as a 14-year-old, Mr Crotty spent 17 years in the trade before studying to become a meat inspector for the Department of Primary Industries in Queensland.
By 1968 he became more involved with the Ekka, helping organise a pen-ofthree carcase competition.
That competition was for yield, and the stock entered were quite different to kinds of cattle that are judged today.
“At one time they all had full mouths, so six teeth, so that would make them three years old,” he said.
Heavier and older cattle presented for judging phased out as meat-consuming trends evolved.
“It’s much smaller cuts of meat now, and that’s what the local people want. They don’t want big slices of meat, they want a smaller cut to put on the plate,” he said.
“Now, when we get to our led-steer carcases they are all milk teeth, so 18 months of age,” he said.
While the grand parade at the Ekka now has cattle from just about every beef breed in Australia, Mr Crotty remembers when there were only common breeds like herefords, short horns, angus and devons on display.
“A lot of the European breeds have now filtered into Australia,” he said.
Prominent crossbreeds, as well as popular beef breed charolais, Canadian breed speckle parks and the Australian founded murray greys all had a presence at the current shows, he said.
Now, aged in his 80s, Mr Crotty is as busy as ever with show duties. Last week he was weighing cattle at Dalby that were being prepared for the 2018 Ekka.
Mr Crotty said his “country blood” had been what had sustained his passion for the Ekka and the cattle industry over the years. His mum grew up in the bush, and his dad in Kyogle.
Although he grew up in Brisbane, his family attended the show every year when he was a kid. In the late 30s to early 40s, Mr Crotty remembers show bags being free.
“They were free samples of little chocolates and lollies,” he said.