Rodeos are an exciting fast-paced sport

As a drawcard to bring visitors in the gates, the rodeo on Saturday March 18, starting from 6pm, will be a very important part of the Wingham Show.

Rodeos are also popular enough that they run as a stand-alone event in many locations, and more than once a year.

Case in point, the Wingham Show Society promotes rodeos at other times of year as well. Their Summertime Rodeo for example, which returned to the calendar for 2023, was held on Saturday January 7.

Wikipedia defines a rodeo as "a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations."

The word rodeo itself is derived from the Spanish word for round-up.

We could define the modern day Aussie rodeo as a fast-paced action-filled way for horse and bull riders to enthral onlookers as they put their bravery and skills through a very rigorous test.

While we're at it though, let's also take a moment to appreciate the role that clowns and handlers play in the process of keeping an event going.

Entrants at rodeos are often made up of locals and travellers, with some doing it as a hobby and others committing to it as a full-time profession.

Rodeos feature a variety of events. At Wingham you'll see bull riding, bareback riding, steer wrestling, individual and team roping challenges to catch a steer, and more.

Juniors are allowed to do some of the activities including steer riding, barrel racing and breakaway roping.

Rodeos are popular throughout several parts of the world, and particularly the western United States and Canada. In fact, America's version of the rodeo is the official state sport of Wyoming, South Dakota, and Texas. Meanwhile the Calgary Stampede claims to be the largest outdoor rodeo event in the world.

Don't miss your favourite part of the event

If you can't be at the Wingham Show on all three days to see everything, or even if you simply haven't figured out how to be everywhere at once, familiarise yourself with the schedule so that you don't miss your favourite parts of the event.

Some things are focusing on a single day or part of a day, while others will be open for two or three days.

For instance, the Hall Pavilion with its wide variety of creative exhibits from art and photography to flowers and chutneys will be open all three days of the event, as will the kiosk, bar and various food stalls.

Equine lovers will also find something on all weekend as the horse and ring program works its way through many disciplines and classes.

The Wingham Spinners and Weavers shed will be open on the Friday and the Saturday to showcase all the goodies they create.

Friday March 17
This is the Kids Fun Day, with the new Hobby Horse classes to start things off. These competition classes are open to kids of all ages.

One highlight of the Show and Ring program will be the Australian Registered Stock Horse classes on the Friday with with five sponsored rugs offered for champions in their classes.

Saturday March 18
The Beef, the Poultry, and the Sheep and Wool sections are all concentrating their judging and activities on the Saturday.

The Poultry also has an extra competition added this year called Poultry Artefacts. To be eligible these items must relate to poultry and fit in the cages.

In addition to all the riding as the horse and ring program continues, Ring 1 will also see Fashions on the Field take place.

Just follow the sound to find the chainsaw racing, and there will be woodchopping too, with a junior category added for under 18s.

See art in the lunch room, investigate the contents of the Rock Hounds shed, and see what the Men's Shed is up to. Peruse the Rotary book shop, and browse the Manning River Lions market stalls.

See vintage tractors on display, and the DONK club will be showing a collection of vintage motors and machinery.

From 6pm attention will turn to the rodeo. It will feature the Dean Watson memorial steer ride trophy and will include The Fitzsimmons Bros bulls and horses. Also keep an eye out for Big Al the comedy rodeo clown.

Sunday March 19
See Hunters & Hacks in the ring, and the Demo Derby from 3pm will close the show.

Packed program with lots to see and do

The 136th Wingham Show will be held over three days from Friday March 17 to Sunday March 19.

The venue will be Wingham Showground and the schedule should be relatively familiar to those who already know and love this event, but with some adjustments here and there to make it even more exciting for everyone.

One attraction making a return this year after a bit of an absence will be the heavy horse and harness horse categories, with breeders showcasing their finest animals.

Fashions In The Field will be on this year as well, sponsored by Dress Up in Wingham. The objective of this for entrants is to dress up to match the horse they will be leading into the ring.

All four rings will be utilised for horse-related activity with much to get through during the show. There will be a Kids Fun Day on the Friday, showjumping and more on the Sunday, and a huge number of other riding and show classes to be held in between. Plus, there will be action aplenty in the Rodeo, scheduled to start at 6pm on Saturday March 18.

Meanwhile agriculture, craft and food will all be celebrated across a wide variety of competitions, displays and demonstrations across the three days.

Cattle, sheep and poultry breeders will all be vying for best in show and other ribbons as they exhibit all their best animals.

There will be chainsaw racing and wood chopping turning timber into sawdust and wood chips.

A demolition derby will commence at 3pm on Sunday March 19 with a ladies only class running separate to the open derby to close the weekend.

The Wingham Spinners and Weavers shed will be open to showcase all the goodies they create, and you can discover some remarkable finds in the Rock Hounds Shed.

On the Saturday you can look for something interesting in the Rotary Book shop or in the Manning River Lions market stalls.

Those who appreciate engineering and history will enjoy the vintage tractors on display, and the DONK club will also have a collection of vintage motors and machinery.

And then there's the Hall program, which filled 32 pages with information just to list the classes and the basic entry requirements.

You'll see fruit and veg, flowers and other plants exhibited. There will be loads of skilfully decorated cakes, home-made jams and many other food creations. Needlework, yarn crafts, patchworks will be on display. There's a photography section, a section for original artworks, and a section for juniors of three different age brackets (under 6s, under 13s and under 18s) to display art in any medium.

Plus we mustn't forget to mention that local show-jumping Olympian Mr John Fahey OA will again be attending the show for all three days this year.

The carnival rides and stalls will be a highlight for some as well, and there will be a number of fun kid's activities going on too.

No horsing around in the ring events

The horse and ring program is so long it will take three days and the use of up to four rings to get through it all.

One look at the requirements for entrants makes it very clear that this competition is taken very seriously, with carefully-considered regulations to make everything as fair and safe as possible.

It covers everything from how animals are to be kept during the event to the prohibition of outside assistance to riders while they're in the ring.

The proceedings are also conducted in a very structured and orderly fashion, and with good reason. Sports can be challenging enough when you just have to get yourself ready at a particular time, never mind your well-trained animal as well. That said, delays can and do occur and sometimes things have to be adjusted on the fly by the ringmaster for unforeseen reasons.

The schedule on Friday March 18 starts at 8am in Ring 1 with the Australian stock horses, and the first class listed is Junior Handler under 13 years. Next is Juvenile Handlers from 13 to under 18 years.

The remaining led classes follow, then it's onto the registered and ridden Australian stock horses with a further 36 classes split by age and experience of the rider or the gender and age of the animal.

Friday is also the Kids Fun Day with 12 classes for hobby horses, plus an overall champion and reserve hobby horse. These too require approved riding boots and helmets to help form good habits, along with neat attire for riders. Entry is free though and the winners will be awarded a ribbon as their prize.

The breed led classes will be off and walking from 7am on Saturday March 18 with 33 different classes using just Ring 1 along with nine classes for breed ridden.

Also starting at 7am on the Saturday, 44 breed led classes for different ponies will be using Ring 2, along with several classes of ridden pony.

29 classes of breed led thoroughbreds will be over on Ring 3 from 7am on the Saturday as well, followed by several ridden breeds.

Fashions in the Field is pencilled in to commence at approximately 1pm on the Saturday. Entrants need to match their attire with the horse they will be leading and show some creative flare at the same time, while the horse they're leading will be judged on its conditioning and presentation.

A Grand Parade will take place at around 2.30pm.

Following the ridden breeds on Ring 3, the heavy horses and the harness horses will all make their return to the event after a notable absence in recent years.

The first of these is the Best Presented Heavy Horse, followed by other led classes.

Then in the ridden working heavy horse classes for Long Rein, the dress code requires the inclusion of winkers, collar, backband and chains.

Harness classes meanwhile can use any vehicle.

From 8am on Sunday March 19 in Ring 1 it's the showjumping with riders split by age, so under 14s, and 14 to 17 year olds, don't have to compete with adults.

These are further split into classes based on height of the jumps, with riders allowed to compete in up to three different height classes.

Hack ridden classes, where the quality and good manners of the horse are also quite important especially for entrants pursuing the award for Supreme Hack of the Show, start at 8am on the Sunday in Ring 2.

There are many of these classes. So many in fact that the Galloway hack classes will be over on Ring 3 and the ponies will be using Ring 4.

Hopefully that deciphers things enough for you to know what you're watching while the handlers, riders and drivers try to do their absolute best.

Historic pictures tell many stories

WINGHAM SHOW
The first Wingham Show was held in 1885, and looking through some old photos it's clear that while some things have changed over the years, others have stayed much the same.

The focus has always been agriculture and other aspects of living in a rural area. Livestock and horses also continue to be a major part of the event.

For anyone counting, show 134 was held in 2019, 135 was on in 2022, and show 136 will be held this year.

The event is organised by the Wingham Show Society, and it is held thanks to the efforts of a substantial number of volunteers.

The event also relies on sponsors and supporters so let's be thankful for them too.

Finding fun stuff to do will be child's play

There will be loads of things for kids of all ages to enjoy at the Wingham Show.

Whether they wish to enter a competition and show their talent, or just have a fun activity, the 'juniors' are certainly catered for.

Carnival rides and stalls are popular at every show of this kind, plus there will be other many activities too.

Those with artistic flair can enter the Junior Exhibits section of the Hall program. Entries must be lodged and a 50c entry paid by Wednesday March 15, and the artistic work itself delivered no later than 9am Thursday March 16 for judging.

The art can be in any medium and there are three age brackets. Presschool is for aged 5 and under and entries are to be marked with a P. Juniors is for ages 5 through to 12 and the entry is to be marked with a J. And Youth is for ages 13 to 17 and the entry marked with a Y.

There will be multiple junior age brackets for many of the various horse show and riding classes, plus they're great to watch no matter how young or old you are.

Kids of all ages can also get in on the action as well with a hobby horse.

Friday March 17 is Kids Fun Day, and the hobby horse section will have many ribbons up for grabs, including Best Presented, Most Original, Most Feral, Best Behaved and Best Educated.

The livestock sections of the show will also have classes for juniors to compete, helping to foster their agricultural talent at an early age.

The rodeo will also have various junior categories, and they'll have more than just their literal skin in the game. $100 is up for grabs in the Under 11 junior barrel race, while the 14 to 17 year olds in the Juvenile steer ride will be pursuing a $200 incentive.

Of course there's also all the interesting exhibits to see whether they be animals or decorated cakes or big old tractors. Plus there's the mayhem and carnage of the demolition derby to watch from 3pm on Sunday March 19.

Article Courtesy of Manning River Times - Australian Community Media