Victorian Shows rescheduled to 2021
The Victorian Spring Show, launched by Holstein Australia member Declan Patten and Bradley and Andrew Cullen will now take place in 2021.
Originally scheduled to take place at Lardner Park in Gippsland in mid-September, the introduction of stage 3 restrictions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout regional Victoria means the show cannot go ahead this year.
“The decision has really been made for us, but we will be back” says Declan. “The support and interest we’ve received from industry, including ST Genetics coming on board as title sponsor, has been phenomenal, and everyone is committed to getting this show off the ground when the time is right.
“The concept of the show is something I’ve been thinking about for a while, falling between the Victorian Winter Fair and International Dairy Week. Back in June when we announced the show it looked feasible for September, with the requirements for social distancing protocols well understood and things apparently under control in Victoria. With last year’s show season curtailed, a lot of breeders were also itching to get back into the show ring too. Quite simply, the plan was to bring the Holstein and Jersey community back together to showcase the best of both breeds for the first time since IDW.”
While a date for 2021 is yet to be confirmed, the organisers are aiming for a mid-September slot in the show calendar to kick off the spring season.
144th Shepparton Show cancelled
The inaugural Victorian Spring Show is not the only casualty of the new stage 3 restrictions for regional Victoria, with October’s Shepparton Show cancelled late last week.
“The Committee of the Shepparton Agricultural Society have been working tirelessly all year in its endeavour to present the Shepparton Show in October,” says Sue Trevaskis, President of the Shepparton Agricultural Society. “While it had been anticipated the show would go ahead, although with some changes, it has now come to the stage where the committee has decided to cancel the show for 2020.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has created many challenges, but the duty of care to the public, workers and members outweighs everything. The committee worked through many different scenarios in its attempt to provide an event for the community, but with new restrictions it was deemed that the show could not go ahead,” says Sue.
In the show’s 144- year history, this is only the second time that the show has been cancelled. The showgrounds were used as a base for the RAAF during the Second World War 1944-1945.