SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW
Host: MIKE WHITNEY
Step right up! It’s that time of year again. The Sydney Royal Easter Show is jam packed with rides, showbags, food, animals and great entertainment – there’s plenty to keep you entertained - no matter what your age.
It’s the time of year when Sydney-siders don’t look sideways when someone walks past them in Blundstones caked with dirt, a dusty akubra and a big shiny rodeo buckle…because this is the time when the country visits the city and really shows us city slickers a thing or two about this fabulous country of ours. It’s a real chance to bring together people from all over rural NSW and even metro Sydney to see who has the best King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, the best Belted Galloway (which is a breed of cattle) or the best chocolate cake!
The Sydney Royal Easter Show is the largest annual event staged in Australia, attracting on average around one million Showgoers each year. Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park is transformed to play host to a festival that is unique to Australia and its diverse cultural and rural heritage. The Show runs for 14 days over the Easter period and is a pinnacle event enjoyed by Australians of all ages.
In 2007 the Sydney Royal Easter Show celebrates 10 successful years at Sydney Olympic Park with the biggest Show ever.
Each year, the Sydney Royal Easter Show aims to highlight Australian agricultural excellence through competitions and education and to promote national and international awareness of the country’s proud rural heritage.
Approximately 15,000 competitors submit some 35,000 entries for judging in over 50 unique and diverse Sydney Royal competitions including livestock, domestic animals, District Exhibits, apiculture, poultry, arts, woodchopping and horticulture to name but a few.
The Sydney Royal Easter Show is a festival of diversity, culture and lifestyle, a celebration of the legacy that is Australian agriculture. The Sydney Showground literally overflows with entertainment, excitement and educational opportunities.
Whether it’s a culinary feast you desire or a day of adrenaline pumping action, fireworks and fashion, rides and races, the Sydney Royal Easter Show is your ticket to the real Australia.
The Royal Easter Show is not only a Sydney icon but a national icon that celebrates all things Australian from our bush heritage, our rural present to the latest in entertainment.
For some people, show time means show bag time and this year there are nearly 300 Showbags to choose from.
But it’s not only about the show bags (of which the kids always get very excited about) but each year competitions take place over the 14 days of the Show and over 600 exhibitors.
And after the 14 days that the show is open, they are expecting around a million people through the gates making it Australia’s largest annual event and the sixth largest of its kind in the world.
There are also lots of shows and performances to keep you entertained.
If thrills and spills are more your style, don’t miss new rides like the Gold Mine Coaster or the Samba Balloons. Take a swing on the Cup and Saucer, sail the high seas on the Rock n Tug or Free Fall through the air.
The Sydney Royal Easter Show is on from Thursday 5th until Wednesday 18th April at The Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.
Gates open from 9am to 10pm.
The best way to get to the show is with a ShowLink Ticket. This includes return public transport travel to the Show and entry.
Woodchopping
David Foster
Current World Titles – 183
Current Australian Titles – 171
David's late father, George Foster, was in his own right a World Champion axeman. Accordingly, David and his father combined to win the World 600 mm Double Handed Sawing Championship eleven (11) times straight.
Following on in his family tradition, David and his brother Peter Foster, have since extended the Foster grip on this World Championship by winning it an additional ten (10) times, a total of twenty (21) straight world titles.
David and Peter's reign came to an end in 2000, at the hand of the Kiwis, however they rallied to win the World Title back in 2001. After this success, Peter retired as David's partner and handed the reins over to David's son Stephen, now the third Foster and Foster combination in the 600mm Double Handed Sawing World Championship. In their first year together (2002), David and Stephen finished 4th in the final and in 2003 they improved to finish 3rd.
Keeping it in the family, David's only son, Stephen at nineteen (19) years of age, is destined to follow his grandfather, father and uncle's footsteps into the explosive world of woodchopping after some exceptional performances at a number of the shows over the last twelve months. In every sense of the word, "a chip off the old block." Stephen is currently a member of the Under 21 Australian Team.
David Foster is the first person in sporting history to have won 1000 championships. This was achieved at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 1998 and widely reported by media both in Australia and overseas.
Showbags
And what’s the show without Showbags? This year there are more to choose from than ever before!
Top 10 are expected to be:
- Happy Feet
- Cars
- Dora the Explorer
- Bratz
- Coca-cola
- Pirates of the Carribean
- Crusty Demons
- FiFi & the Flowertots
- American Chopper
- The Wiggles
But don’t worry, you can still pick up a Bertie Beetle bag for $2. The most expensive bags come in at a whopping $25!
Food Farm - Where does my food come from?
The Food Farm includes an interactive display of 15 breeds of sheep, 10 breeds and crosses of beef cattle, two breeds of goats, stage kitchen demonstrations, sausage and pie making and touch screen games.
Meat & Livestock Australia will be providing a display of beef, sheep and goat carcases, primals and selected cuts and there will be a highly entertaining and stimulating on stage program involving celebrity cook-offs, red meat preparation and cooking, amusing educational experiments and other entertainment linked to the 'Where does our food come from?' theme.
The poultry industry will be providing boiled eggs for a children’s egg painting competition, chicks hatching via video cam to a plasma screen and interesting food related information on the egg and chicken meat industries.
Similarly the grains industry will mount a highly interactive display where children will be able to feel various grains and take small samples home.
Dairy Farmers Farmyard & Animal Nursery
Dairy Farmers Farmyard & Animal Nursery relocated to the Overflow near the entrance.
The Dairy Farmers Farmyard & Animal Nursery is a hugely popular attraction that generates significant interest each year.
Here you will see all of your favourite features in a new and unique ‘farm yard setting’ with larger pens and petting areas as well as an orchard, vegetable patch plus aviaries with common and native bird varieties.
This is a real mini-farm experience where you will be able to interact with a variety of cute and cuddly animals. Play with the piglets, cuddle up to a chick, pet the lambs, meet the quirky Alpaca's and get close to the Show cows and goats.
The Dairy Farmers Farmyard & Animal Nursery is open Showtime from 5 – 18 April.
The Nestle Milkybar Milking Barn
The Nestle Milkybar Milking Barn offers Showgoers a unique and exciting opportunity to interact with Show animals first-hand and learn about milk production and dairy farming.
The Nestle Milkybar Milking Barn provides an interactive educational experience with daily sessions about caring for the animals, milking techniques and butter churning.
The Nestle Milkybar Milking Barn will be located adjacent to the Cattle Lawns and is great for the whole family, especially for the kids who participate and receive a free Milkybar.
Shearing Demos
World class champion shearers will be showing off their skills every day, giving the audiences insight into their work and lives, as well as competing live on stage. Hear their amazing stories and crazy tales of adventure and get interactive on stage to test out your own shearing skills.
This is a venue for the whole family to experience and get involved in.
More Information
Sydney Royal Easter Show
April 5 - 18
Showground Road, Sydney Olympic Park
Telephone: (02) 9704 1000
ShowLink tickets include return public transport and entry to the show. Cost is $31 for adults and kids are $21.50.
www.eastershow.com.au
Prices correct as at 07/04/07
Sydney Weekender Easter Competition …
But you could be heading to the Easter Show for free ‘cos Sydney Weekender is giving away 25 family passes (entry only). All you have to do to be in the running is call
1902 55 77 09.
And good luck!
M.NET 55 cents max call cost.
Mobile phones extra. Lines close 09/04/07 at midnight
NSW permit number: TPL06/14889, ACT permit number TP06/05505
Terms and conditions are available by contacting The Seven Network