Ingham kicks
A MEMORABLE Ingham Show finished on a high note with a late rush on the gates on Friday evening.
“It was down a bit on Thursday night but good on Friday night,” president Wayne Forden said.
Mr Forden said the total number of rides was also down due to a combination of factors, including the difficulty of recruiting showies, fuel and labour costs, and the timing of the show before the Townsville edition this weekend.
He said highlights included the wonderfully received inaugural Dachshund Derby, which attracted participants from throughout Hinchinbrook and North Queensland.
Mr Forden said a number of aspects of the show were growing, including the horse jumping and the Cattle Show, which was bolstered by students from Columba Catholic College’s Cattle Club.
He said he believed next year’s Ingham Show, for which preparations were already well under way, would be more successful, with the timing planned for after the Townsville Show.
Steward Debbie Hobbs said the Cattle Show had grown over the past 10 years and this year boasted record numbers with 14 exhibitors in three classes.
“I must say that the quality of cattle they have this year has been impeccable, the temperament is lovely and the conditions we’ve had have been a good season, so the condition of the cattle is really brilliant,” she said.
“The judges are more than happy.” Ms Hobbs, a cattle farmer from Forrest Beach Rd, said an important factor in the success of the cattle component of the show was the involvement of younger families “who are really interested in the industry”.