Half a century after Maurie Becker was president of the Wagin Agricultural Society he has stepped into a new role, that of the 2013 Wagin Woolorama patron.

Mr Becker said his most treasured possession was his life membership badge, awarded to him by the society in 1993.

He has attended nearly every show since 1929, his interest in the event beginning when his father took in a few early entries on show day.

“If you wanted to exhibit a good sheaf of hay in a bad year you found a patch in the crop where a sheep had died,” he said.

From 1951 the society sponsored a junior farmer section and they ran their own show with judging by the senior judges.

As junior farmers they were invited to be observers at society meetings from 1952.

From there Mr Becker was invited to join the Wagin Agricultural Society committee in 1955.

He became steward of the sheep section and went on to be president in 1963 and 1964 and again in 1967 when no one else stepped up to do the job.

For 37 years Mr Becker has been involved in the fashion parades at Woolorama, starting with setting up the venues.

He said for the first fashion parade the models changed in a stock crate and paraded on a trestle table.

A local dress shop supplied the clothes, the proprietor providing running commentary.

Since then fashion parade stages have been set up in four locations.

At one, the catwalk was a section of floor from the Glen Iris maternity hospital — a far cry from the music and flashing lights of today.

Mr Becker said it was great to see Woolorama growing from an early attendance of 4000 to almost 30,000 at its peak.

“It’s been inspiring to note the support we have received from the Wagin and wider communities,” he said.