Quill, The Buloke Times
Who said Friday the 13th is supposed to be unlucky? It certainly wasn’t for Donald’s Annual P & A Show, which opened its gates on Friday for two days of fun for the whole family.
There was much to see and do at the show, over the two days, including the horse events returning to the main oval after a wait of four long years, due to covid and floods. However, the official opening was held in the Anderson Blue Room on Friday night, along with the well-supported Donald Steel Meta-land Spaghetti and Garlic Bread Cook-off.
Donald Show Committee president, Nicole Nunn, opened the show officially with gratitude towards the team of volunteers available to bring the local show to reality. Last year, Nicole herself was awarded Life Membership, showing that she certainly leads by example with the amount of effort she puts into the event. When asked recently why she volunteers, her response was without hesitation: “I want to be able to make a difference; I do it so my kids are able to experience things and I hope it teaches them and those around us all, that volunteers are the lifeblood of our small communities. To each and every volunteer in our community, regardless of your contribution, I say ‘thank you’, your community thanks you!”
Particular mention was made to Life Member, Carey Brennan, who has taken a step back from running the horse events, but still guided Melissa Sellick and Carol Holland with what needed to be done, and these women have done exceptional jobs.
Peggy Coats, in her second year as pavilion co-ordinator, has excelled; delivering a sensational photography display and an amazing pavilion showcasing all that the region has to offer. And the ladies in the show office and horse tent worked tirelessly over the two days to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Junior Show Ambassador
Before handing the microphone over to the guest speaker of the night, Nicole announced the Junior Show Ambassador, an award for those aged 16 to 19 involved in their local community, passionate about the Donald Show and have good general knowledge and public speaking skills. The young man to receive the award was none other than Jacob Donnellon. In presenting the award, Nicole had this to say about Jacob’s involvement: “Often you get people join your committee who make a difference, then you get people who absolutely shake things up, and this young man has certainly shaken things up. He’s doubled sponsorship, purely thanks to phone calls, visits, emails – I guess you just can’t say “no” to a kid sometimes. The new ideas he’s come up with this year are sensational; every meeting we say ‘what have you got this time ideas man?’ said Nicole and well done to Jacob Donnellon on this recognition and the example he is setting for other youngsters wishing to contribute to their local show.
Speaker
Guest speaker, Sam Goldsmith, is one of those community-orientated people, always volunteering time and equipment, supporting the events in the area as well as hosting his own. He is certainly worth his weight in (Disco) gold and he managed to address those assembled in the Blue Room in between matches of 3-on-3 basketball.
Complete with a hot pink sweat band around his head and still with one basketball match downstairs to play, Sam seemed to be only a little out-of-breath as he commended the Donald show and all the work that goes into it. As owner and operator of Disco Gold, co-founder of the annual Esoteric Festival and now the newly elected chairman of Donald 2000, Sam is well aware of the amount of effort that goes into hosting any event and how much community support is needed for these events to be successful.
“Donald Show is probably the second-biggest event in the area after Esoteric,” Sam informed the crowd. “We get behind it with support and sponsorship, because this is creating opportunities for the next generation.”
Donnellons Dominate
Following the speeches and official opening of the 141st Donald Show, it was time for the Donald Steel Metaland Spaghetti and Garlic Bread Cook-Off, where it became evident that it’s a Donnellon dinner you want to be invited to on Spag Bog night.
Daryl Warren was the MC for the event, while Donald Steel employees Keith Brusnahan and Will McConville, along with DFC president Danny Forrest provided the judging panel. There were a number of different garlic breads for the judges to taste, as well as 15 different spaghetti Bolognese entries, keeping the boys taste-testing for some time before a decision could be made.
In the garlic bread competition, it was fitting that the winner should be the young man who thought up the idea and had earlier taken out Junior Show Ambassador prize for the wonderful ideas he comes up with, Jacob Donnellon. Joint runners-up were Lisa Woods and Angie Donnellon.
In the spaghetti competition, Baxter Donnellon took out first place with a score of 105, while Evie Donnellon came in as runner-up on 104 points. It is clear this family has a special ingredient setting them above the rest.
Cracking Entertainment
Prior to, and during the official opening of the show, there was showjumping held on the main oval throughout the day, followed by entertainment on the lawn in the afternoon. Of particular interest, and new to the Donald Show was Stewart Bryant’s literally cracking performance.
Together with his family, Stewart, tours the country demonstrating the use and history of the Australian Stockwhip and the versatility of the Australian Stockhorse. With his sons, 13 year old, “Jack the Whipper” and 10 year old, “Crackers” and stock horses Rio and Juddy, the combination produced a lively and LOUD performance that not only entertained, but also educated.
After explaining the way the whip was made, and the physics behind the whip that produce the cracking sound that breaks the sound barrier, Stewart and his sons showed the different ways to crack the whip and named the movements for those watching. Then, the trio cracked along to the beat of different songs, and even played “Happy Birthday” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on the stockwhips.
The end of this demonstration called for some young volunteers, holding toilet paper between them to demonstrate the accuracy of Stewart’s aim. Young Chester and Ella answered the call and held the toilet paper between them bravely as the whipcrack split it in two.
The Bryant family hails from Mansfield and tours with his family doing these demonstrations, including his wife Kelly and his eldest son Bill acting as strappers for the horses and support for the performers. It was indeed a splendid addition to the 141st annual Donald Show.
Donald’s 141st Annual Show
Alyssa Walker, The Buloke Times
You’d think it was a football grand final, what with all the cars and cheers surrounding the Donald Goff Letts Oval on Saturday, October 14. This crowd wasn’t present for any “grand” other than a grand old time, however – because it was Show time!
Marking year 141 of the Donald P. & A. Society’s annual show, this year was bigger and better than ever, and a true homecoming for those community members returning specifically to celebrate this event.
Alongside all the good old nostalgia-inducing rides present – such as the piggy train and ferris wheel for the littler attendees, and the Cha Cha for the more thrill-seeking – this year’s Donald Show also heralded the triumphant return of the Dodgem Car attraction.
And though, supposedly, the aim of the ride is actually to dodge other people in their cars, everyone knows the real aim is to see how many times you can “accidentally” crash into friends and family enjoying the attraction too. Not that I’m speaking from personal experience or anything. Definitely not.
There were plenty of prizes to be won apart from the satisfaction of friendly dodgem car violence, however. The showgrounds were as littered with fairground games as they were with food carts. There were shooting games, ring tossing, the turning clowns, balloon popping – and many more, with prizes galore!
And, speaking of balloons, there were plenty of wandering attractions roaming the place. Tim Tim, balloonologist and bubbleologist was just one of these, expertly crafting all manner of balloon animal companions for the kids and weaving magic with his bubble tricks.
Though the wind proved to be a formidable foe in that regard, it was easily defeated by simply retreating indoors to the kids’ zone inside the stadium complex.
There was face paint, cupcake decorating with Cupcakerella, a whole play area with toys, just to name a few things, and just upstairs in the Anderson Blue Room, the show’s photography exhibit could be viewed whilst enjoying a delicious lunch provided by the Harvest Café.
Catering
If the brilliant battered fish or chicken fillet with salad – accompanied by a selection of pavlova, choc ripple cake, or fruit salad for dessert – wasn’t enough to sate one’s appetite, the aforementioned food trucks filling the rest of the showgrounds could amply provide. Ice creams, curly potatoes, fairy floss; all the staple showground foods, alongside wood-fired pizzas, chicken burgers and more. And, of course, I can’t forget the showbags. They’re as iconic as the show itself.
For those wise enough not to jump on one of the rides immediately after eating – or for those poor few who learned the hard way through past experience – there were plenty of other attractions to view as well.
Massive crowds settled in to watch the horse events, which had made a triumphant return after being washed out the previous year – and the shearing competition was a favourite, as always.
With the largest number of competitors seen so far, and with rumours of the number 3 best women’s shearer in the world with her eyes on the prize, the competition was fierce and fleecy and fun. There was also Professor Wallace’s Puppet Theatre and the Fun Farm to You Mobile Animal Nursery – or, if you’re the type to love the more dangerous animals, the snakes at Jamie and Kim’s Mobile Zoo exhibit loved to snuggle.
The Xtreme motorbike show and Stewart Bryant’s whipcracking displays were also events not to be missed, especially if you are seeking the same thrill associated with the rides without having to subject your body to hurtling through space at copious speeds. The daring rider dazzled the crowd with his dangerous stunts, at one point jumping over some lucky (or unlucky) volunteer on his bike, whilst Stewart and his two young protégées delighted their audience with not only the talent of their whips, but also the sharpness of their wit.
Pavilion
And, if afterwards, you were in the mood to marvel at more talent, there was no better place to head than the pavilion. Full of arts and crafts from disciplines of all kinds – drawing, painting, quilting, knitting, cooking, flower arranging, and more – there was certainly something to appeal to everyone’s inner art connoisseur.
With categories such as the biggest weed and the biggest leaf, as well as a veritable village of vegetable people creations, entrants could spread their creative wings in any discipline they so chose, and contestants of all ages flocked to showcase their talent! And, speaking of flocks, the poultry pavilion continuously drew birds of a feather to it all showday, helped in part, no doubt, by the songbird-esque live music being performed on the stage just outside the building.
This year’s show not only drew a massive crowd, but also attracted the intrigue of some formerly deep-sea dwellers from the nearby river. Zyler and Phloem, the King and Queen of Richardson River were certainly a standout with their “sea-legs”, coral crowns, and bubble wands of peacekeeping. Perhaps it was their presence throughout the day that kept the clouded sky’s threats empty.
Either way, the day couldn’t have been more of a fun-filled family outing. Shows bring communities together, drawing people back home from far and wide, and in a true post-Covid celebration, the P. & A. Society only keeps aiming bigger and better.
But, as all good things do, the day had to end at some point. So, with a last call for food and coffee as the Grand Parade began its procession, Donald’s 2023 show drew to a close, leaving people to wrangle their sugar-hyper children with arms full of various won prizes and stuffed animals and return home. (No, you cannot leave your children with the show’s travelling zoo, even if the sugar has made them act like animals. I’m sure they’ll sleep it off, or something.)
In a celebration of the community’s values and talent, Donald’s P. & A. Society has done it again, and has given us a fun-filled show that could rival Melbourne’s, I reckon. If the theme of the Society is bigger and better, well, I can’t wait for next year!
See all the photos in the issue.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 17 October 2023.
