Celebrating 103 Years of Agricultural

Shows

Ganmain Show Society

2011 Show Saturday 2oth August

Major Sponsor Wagga Mutual     Share the difference

There are plenty of copies of “The Hundred Year History of the Ganmain Show” for sale at $25 per copy.  These can be purchased from the Craft Cottage in Ford Street.

 

The following is in excerpt from the years 1917 to 1919.

 

 

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY 11^th & 12^th SEPTEMBER 1917

 

A patriotic reporter boasted that the 1917 show was a revelation as to what the Riverina could produce. To any farmer who has his heart set on the improvement of his flocks, herds, grain and garden the exhibits were an inspiration, “it is the yardstick on which Riverina towns must compare their exhibitions.”

 

Both days were held in fine weather though the Wednesday was quite windy. There was no special train from Narrandera but a goods train left Junee early picking up patrons in Marrar and Coolamon. Attendance was similar to 1916 with overall gate takings amounting to £56. Paid members had declined from 230 in 1912 to 142 five years later.

 

A merry-go-round, boxing tent and usual side show attractions did good business and the combined Ganmain/Coolamon band played excellent music under the direction of Bandmaster McKee.

 

Twice during Wednesday afternoon the President convened a recruiting meeting at which addresses were made by several returned soldiers. The only response forthcoming was from a previously rejected elderly gent, the eligible recruits were more interested in the outcome of matches in the boxing tent.

 

The best Industrial Hall display was the flowers and pot plants entries in that class; another feature was the wild flower exhibits by children a testimony to the mild season. The needle and fancywork class was not up to previous year’s standard due no doubt to the ladies being busy making articles for the soldiers fighting in Europe. Farm produce exhibits were poor and in most cases displayed effects of rust and excessive moisture at harvest time. In garden produce there were very few entries the reason being the mice plague earlier in the year. The rodents eating off all newly germinated seedlings. The mice also wrecked wheat stacks eating holes through the thousands of bags causing them to collapse.

 

The machinery display was practically nonexistent with manufacturers declining to exhibit outside the large regional shows. Mr. Jas. Egan ran the publicans booth while the Ganmain A & P Association ran the luncheon and tea tent, which netted the committee over £100.

 

A bazaar of was held all show week to aid the Association. Ladies connected with various stalls at the bazaar sold large numbers of art union tickets as well. Revenue from both exceeded £600 resulting in rescuing the Associations dire financial position.

 

 

THE WINNERS

Draught horse stallion (4 years & over) – S. Farrell’s “Sir Douglas Haig”

Best Shorthorn cow – J. Parmenter

Best Merino ram & ewe – T. W. McCaig

Best pen of three fat lambs – G. H. Cox

Barred Plymouth Rock (cockerel) – Miss F. Quilter

Wild flowers (child under 14 years) – Ray M^cLean

Rainbow cake – Miss E. E. Brill

Dried raisins – T. Lockett

Birthday cake – Mrs. D. R. Hamblin

Collection of pot plants - Mr. M. Wilson

Collection of photographs – C. J. N. Chauncey

 

 

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY 10^th & 11^th SEPTEMBER 1918

 

The tenth annual Ganmain show was another successful exhibition due mainly to the unfaltering effort of the committee which now consists of 46 dedicated workers.

 

                          President                                     Mr. D. R. Hamblin

                          Vice Presidents                          Messrs. H. A. Carruthers and H. C. Wilson

                          Secretary                                    Mr. T. S. Henderson

                          Treasurer                                    Mr. H. Barry

            

General committee: Messrs. J. L. Baker, E. T. Bartlett, J. Bowen, W. J. Brill, A. F. Buerckner, Dr. F. J. Burns, G. H. Cox, L. Carroll. W. H. Doubleday, Geo. Evans, A. Graham, G. Halbisch _Jnr, P. Halbisch, T. Halbisch, E. M. Hamblin, E. W. Hamblin, R. J. Harris, A. Hatty _Snr, A. Hatty _Jnr, M. Humphries, A. P. Hunter, P. Kellerher, J. S. Kirkwood, R. H. Lenon, W. H. Logan, Jas. Lynam, E. Mattingley, J. M^cLeod, J. Murphy, C. Mynott, T. W. M^cCaig, D. H. M^cKinnon, J. D. McGrath, D. M^cPherson, J. M^cPherson, J. A. Parmenter, E. J. Ross, W. H. Rowston, Jas. Thompson, R. Tonacia and J. H. Vagg.

 

The weather on both days was splendid. Shortly after the arrival of the mail train from Junee and the special from Narrandera, crowds of people could be seen heading to the showground. The majority of visitors were traveling from Coolamon. The gate takings amounted to £56 whilst the number of entries totaled over 1000.

 

In the ring the horses competing were above average quality especially the harness sorts. The flag race attracted eight entries and proved to be the most interesting event of the day. Miss M^cConville won the event from Mr. E. Gollan.

 

In the cooking, jams and preserves, flowers, needle and fancy work classes the entries exhibited were fewer than even last year. An excellent and imposing display of produce grown in the M.I.A. was the feature in the Industrial Hall. Mr. A. Hatty & Sons, best collection of farm produce, attracted a lot of interest. The display included lucerne, sheaves of hay, preserved fruit, jams, sauces, vegetables, wool and eggs. 

 

Entries in the poultry class proved a record some birds having already won champion ribbons at the Wagga show. The Lord Bros, Junee, exhibited the best Leghorns and Wyandottes

 

A recruiting team from Narrandera secured nine volunteer soldiers five of these had already seen active service.

 

Sideshows were more numerous than they have been for some time and the Ganmain Brass Band enlivened the proceeds during Wednesday afternoon. The tea and luncheon tent was run by the ladies of the Ganmain Catholic Church while Mr. E. J. Egan conducted the publican’s booth.

 

THE WINNERS

Four draught horses – T. B. Reynolds

Best maiden hunter (carry 11 stone) – Private Stan Lucas’ “Cairo”

Best Merino ram – D. R. Hamblin

White Orpington cockerel – W. J. Wilson

Indian Runner drake – R. D. Roy

Brown Leghorn hen – Mrs. P. F. Kelly

 

 

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY 16^th & 17^th SEPTEMBER 1919

 

Well before show preparations had begun the showground became a centre of activity in the months of March and April. Ganmain had become seriously afflicted by the pneumonic influenza pandemic. On the advice of the Influenza Committee and Dr. Burns the president, Mr. D. R. Hamblin, offered the use of the Industrial Hall and showground in the event of accommodation being required for patients or contacts as they were known.

 

The Ganmain Red Cross branches financed the erection and maintenance of an isolation ward in the Industrial Hall. Arrangements were also made to have telephone communication with the showground and by early April the number of contacts isolated there totaled eight. Many more were confined to their own homes around town. Schools were closed as were businesses and an inoculation depot was established. By the time the epidemic had passed the number of cases in Ganmain totaled 59 which resulted in four fatalities.

 

In a successful effort to induce Mr. Henderson to remain a secretary his salary was increased to £50 per annum. With ten pounds extra assistance during show week as well as 10% of all subscription and donations that he secured.

 

The 1919 show was also known as the Repatriation Show. With little regard for the Associations debts over £340 was donated to the local Repatriation Fund for returned soldiers.

 

The prize schedule offered £300 and over 1000 entries were taken. The show opened in warm bright weather. The usual Tuesday morning tasks of arranging, classifying and judging exhibits were completed before noon.

 

During the afternoon a football match was played on the ring between Methul and Ganmain. Methul began strongly only to lose the lead by the end of the third quarter. The final quarter was very strenuous with Methul winning by just one point on the final bell. A large crowd gathered to watch this exciting spectacle.

 

On the Wednesday a large number of Coolamonites traveled down by the mail train but the excursion train from Narrandera was not so well patronized. Along roads, lanes and bush tracks that centered on Ganmain, heavy freighted sulkies, buggies and motor cars could be seen winding their way to the showground. The large crowd resulted in a £60 gate on just the Wednesday alone.

 

The drought affected all livestock classes with regard to both numbers and quality of exhibits. In the Industrial Hall the school work section constituted a record doubling the entries from previous years to over 200. Mr. Geo. Clarke commenting that the work was superior to what he judged at the Wagga show.

 

There were no sideshows or boxing tent due to the show clashing with both the Finley and Temora shows. Mr. Jas. Logan, Farmers Home Hotel Matong, conducted the publican’s booth while a first class luncheon was provided by the Methodist church ladies. Mr. L. Carroll had charge of the weight guessing competition and as usual sold a large number of tickets.

 

The centre piece in the pavilion was the beautiful wedding cake made and presented by Mrs. D. R. Hamblin to the winner of the Popular Man Competition. The competition was initiated to raise money for the Repatriation Fund.

THE WINNERS

Letter describing Ganmain district (under 12) – Arch M^cKinnon

Writing from dictation – A. Halbisch

Prettiest child’s handbag (girl under 14) – Hazel Hatty

Speed test – Jean Brodie

Cushion any work (under 16) – Eileen Hatty

Pair homing pigeons – Vic Lucas

Pumpkin – R. J. Harris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ganmain Show Book