Tug-o-war is one of the attractions at this year’s Kiama Show. Photo: Supplied.
When the 178th Kiama Show returns on 23-24 January, it promises two days of high-energy entertainment, beloved country show favourites, and a new ambassador program to bring in the next generation.
Kiama Show committee publicity and social media coordinator Grace McGlinchey said this year’s line-up built on the successes of previous shows but also introduced several new activities to keep attendees entertained.
Grace said one of those was the introduction of the Ag Ambassador program, designed to broaden youth engagement beyond the traditional Young Women competition.
“The Young Women competition is what we’ve always had, but the Ag Ambassador is a new program that is not just aimed at young women,” she said.
“This is open to both genders and we have seven entrants already.”
She said while all entrants just so happened to be women this year, they hoped to attract male entrants as well.
“It’s about their show involvement, and they don’t necessarily have to have any previous experience with agriculture or shows,” she said.
“It’s about getting them involved in the show movement and it’s a bit of a future plan, because as members age we need to keep the youth involved in it.”
Grace said among the entertainment highlights this year were the billy cart and hobby horse races.
“We have a tug-o-war and gumboot toss, which is all interactive, so we invite people from the crowd to come and participate in it,” she said.
“We have a pet show and then Farmer Dave’s Temptation Alley, which is a high-energy livestock show featuring dogs navigating challenging obstacle courses.”
She said other entertainment included MadStyleMoto Bikes, a motorcycle stunt show with tricks and jumps; Farmer Dave’s K9 Superwall, where highly trained dogs showcased their athletic abilities by scaling walls and completing obstacles; and footgolf, a hybrid sport combining soccer and golf where players kicked footballs into oversized holes.
There will also be ShowMow lawnmower racing and the Farmfit Challenge, a physical fitness competition featuring farm-themed strength and endurance challenges.
“One of our features for the horse events is the Six Bar Jump, so that’s where horses jump increasingly higher jumps all in a row,” she said.
“That’s quite a good one.”
Grace said Saturday’s finale would be a fireworks show, sponsored by Carter Ferguson Solicitors Gerringong.
She said while last year’s entertainment was outstanding, she anticipated this year to be even better due to the program being confined to the afternoons, rather than scattered throughout the day, and more seating being available.
“It means we can do all our horse and cattle events, and then everyone can just come and sit down around the main ring and enjoy the afternoon at the show,” she said.
Grace said traditional favourites, such as the woodchopping competition, continued to be a major draw, with competitors traveling from as far as Queensland.
“We have quite a good reputation in woodchopping, and we get some Australian champions that come down because we have quite a lot of prize money on offer in woodchopping,” she said.
Beyond the main attractions, the Homegrown Hub will showcase Illawarra producers, including honey and jerky products, while intergenerational cooking and LEGO classes will ensure there’s fun for all ages.
The show also celebrates school student involvement with primary school competitions, and showcases varying skills, with pavilion categories ranging from handcrafts, ceramics, baking and photography.
Grace encouraged the community to support the show to ensure its longevity, while also helping farmers and businesses from the area thrive.
Kiama Show will be held 23-24 January at the Kiama Showgrounds. You can jump the queue by purchasing tickets beforehand online.
