All systems go for Shelburne County Exhibition
Plenty on tap for this year’s exhibition, which kicks off Aug. 7
All systems are a go for the Shelburne County Exhibition, with new and exciting events and activities added to traditional favourites, making a full schedule for the Aug. 7 to 11 exhibition.
The exhibition opens Aug. 7 with 4-H Activity Day on the exhibition grounds, where members of the Roseway 4-H Club and the Sou’West 4-H Club will take centre stage with 4-H life skills competitions starting at 10 a.m. and an awards presentation that evening. They will be joined by visiting 4-H delegates from Manitoba.
Throughout the day, judging of exhibits and livestock will take place, light horse programming will begin in the riding ring, and the ox hauls and heavy horse hauls will get underway. The downtown street parade starts at 6:30 p.m. from Minto Street, following a route along Water Street to John Street, making its way to the exhibition grounds, ending at the Shelburne Mall. The parade theme this year is A Night at the Movies. The official opening and an oldfashioned kitchen party follows at the Shelburne County Arena.
Aug. 8 is Seniors’ Day at the Shelburne County Exhibition ($3 admission). Highlights of the day’s schedule include performances by Dave Burbine and Traditional Country, the opening of the new tough truck and ATV course on the lower exhibition grounds, where trucks can play on the course for free during the Parade participants make their way to the Shelburne County exhibition grounds during the annual parade a couple of years ago. afternoon, and the Teen Pageant, hosted by the Shelburne and Area Lions Club, starting at 7 p.m. Also, on tap is the Dustin Conrad memorial brake-burn competition at 6 p.m. Pre-registration is on site.
On Aug. 9, there will be a youth karaoke contest from 4 to 6 p.m. The Little Miss Exhibition Pageant starts at 7 p.m. An adult karaoke competition is on tap for Aug 10, starting at 8 p.m. followed by a musical performance by Fraser Newcombe. On Aug. 11, the kiddies barn with balloons, juice packs and colouring pages giveaway gets the fun started in the morning. The Dustin Conrad Memorial Bursary Fundraiser Dance that evening is the exhibition’s grand finale. In between there will be consolation and championship ox hauls and horse pulls, line dancing and more musical performances.
Every day at the exhibition there will be 4-H demonstrations, chip bingo, a beer garden, a hands-on petting farm, horse classes and competitions in the horse ring, historical, baking, crafts, floral and agricultural displays, and, new this year, HRM Mascots and Inflatables.
“They have something for all ages,” including a 90-foot inflatable slide, said Debi Hill, spokesperson and assistant secretary for the Shelburne County Agricultural Association.
Also new to the exhibition is an outdoor stage, where One Meter Up will perform the evening of Aug. 9. On Aug. 10 it’s karaoke time with Brian Nickerson.
The Western Shore Barrel Racing Club is also taking part in the Shelburne County Exhibition for the first time this year, joining with the South Western Riders Association for barrel-racing competitions on Aug. 10 and 11.
“There’s a lot of stuff going on, something going on all the time,” said Hill. “We have a lot more vendors for the arena this year so that should be pretty full.”
Another new event at this year’s exhibition is the Run-WhatchaBrung Event on Aug. 9, starting at 6 p.m. “Whatever you drive up in, that’s what you run,” said Hill. Truck and bike mud runs are also on tap.
Hill said the Shelburne County Agricultural Association has been building partnerships with community groups such as the South Western Riders Association and together, through the efforts of some “very dedicated volunteers,” have done a lot of work to the grounds, the outdoor horse stalls, the riding ring and the horse barn over the past few months.
“It’s really looking good down there,” she said, adding a lot of work has also been done on the lower grounds and the tough truck and ATV course.
For further information about the Shelburne County Exhibition visit www.shelburneexhibition.ca or on Facebook: Shelburne County Exhibition