2025 marks the 62nd Allora Show for our Patron and Life Member, Mrs Dorothy Rubie.
Dorothy commenced her journey as a volunteer with the Allora Show Society when she, her husband Harry and daughter Del, moved from Warwick to their new home in Allora in 1964.
Keen to be involved with the local Community, her time with the Society began in the Schoolwork Section where Charlie and Dulcie Tickle presided over events. When Dorothy offered her services, Charlie Tickle asked if she had neat handwriting, necessary for transcribing details on the place getters’ cards. When that test was passed with flying colours, Dorothy’s first Show Society assignment started in the old weatherboard Pavilion standing where the brick Pavilion is now situated.
From working in the Pavilion, Dorothy moved into the Horse Ring pencilling for the Ring Stewards, and Mr Tom Cowley, after whom the Main Arena is named, was the Chief Ring Steward at the time.
When Tom passed away, Len Batterham was elected Ring Master and it was during this time that the first ‘Ring Office’ was created. This was the small, enclosed section underneath the Announcer’s Box near the Campdraft yards. It was from this tiny space that all transactions for the Equestrian events transpired.
In the early days of Dorothy’s association with the Allora Show, a ‘Show Campdraft’ was held on the Friday with Local Horse Events in progress outside the main Ring.
Dorothy was responsible for all ‘Office work’ connected with the Equestrian Events for the two days of the Show, including the Campdraft. The ‘Draw’ for the Draft was conducted from her kitchen table in Drayton Street, with a few willing helpers, the day before the Show.
Each Steward’s Result Book was handwritten and covered in Brown Paper as was the Receipt Book, where a signature was required from Competitors to enable them to receive their Prize Money. Every equestrian Event for the two days of the Show had a white envelope, again handwritten with all necessary details, containing exactly the correct amount of prizemoney. The books were ‘balanced’ at the end of each Show day and rarely were they out by even 10 cents! On one occasion, Dorothy unexpectedly became the Equestrian ‘Ring Announcer’ when the usual voice of the show was unavailable.
The current Ring Office was purpose built by the Allora APEX Club, for their use on the famous Allora Apex Auction Day. It was here that Dorothy spent the remainder of her time with the Equestrian section of the Show. Dorothy’s association with the ‘Ring Office’ concluded in 2022 after 58 years volunteering her services to the Show Society.
In 2018, Dorothy was extremely honoured to accept the position of Patron of the Allora Show Society and has worked with some wonderful people and made some great friends during her 62 years, volunteering at
… ‘The Best Little Show on the Downs”.
This article appeared in the Allora Advertiser, 5 February 2025.
