Royal Canberra Show: Sun shines down on another year of clowns, cattle and competition
Tens of thousands of people have poured into Exhibition Park in Canberra's north this weekend for the Royal Canberra Show.
The weather was kind at Mitchell and organisers said they hoped this year's event would attract more than 100,000 visitors.
And while the final figures were yet to be crunched on Sunday afternoon, the odds were looking good - with stewards reporting strong crowd numbers compared to previous years.
For farmers and rural producers the show continues to be an important event in the calendar, with a little rivalry set against an opportunity to meet up with friends.
Ray Bartley is a stud manager at Silver Hills Farm, near Picton in NSW, who has been coming to the Canberra Show for years.
He spent his Saturday tending to Hannibal, a two-and-a-half-year-old Murray Grey bull, who weighs 990 kilograms and won this year's reserve senior champion for his breed.
"He's just starting out his stud career ... he's by a bull called Ayr Park Banjo, who was supreme champion Murray Grey down here a couple of years ago," Mr Bartley said.
"I'm very impressed with him, we got a lot of good comments about him and everyone loves him."
As someone with a passion for working with stud animals, Mr Bartley said show competitions took a lot of preparation, but were always a pleasure.
"I like seeing the interaction between the city kids," he said.
"They go over to the petting zoo ... but when they sit next to 900kg bull they go 'ahhh'."
'Rustle Crow' makes a guest appearance
In the Harvest Hall, students from local primary schools got into the spirit by entering the annual scarecrow competition.
Curtain Primary School's 'Rustle Crow' won third prize, but bore little resemblance to his famous namesake.
In sideshow alley, the laughing clowns, Ferris wheel and other more daring rides attracted throngs of children and teenagers, intent on spending pocket money – or taking out a loan from mum and dad.
Abigail Jacobs, 14 and Lauren Bell, 15, spent up on showbags this year.
But for them, the best thing about the show was the turbo ride and "hanging with friends".
Those behind the cash registers agreed Canberra was generally a lucrative show.
Food vendor Jeanette Pye has been coming to the show for five years.
She said Canberra was just one in a circuit of country shows she would attend over the next few weeks.
The last was Maitland and after Canberra, she will drive back up the NSW coast to Newcastle.
