The Cobar Show Society was established in 1952 and the current committee is still just as passionate and committed to the event as the first committee more than 70 years ago.
Agricultural shows serve multiple purposes, including showcasing local produce, craft and livestock, fostering community connections, promoting agricultural innovation, providing educational opportunities and entertainment.
They are a significant part of rural culture in Australia, attract large crowds and contribute to the local economy.
The 2025 Cobar Show on Friday and Saturday was a fun day out for families with the Cobar Show Society reporting this year’s event was “highly successful”.
Committee member and main pavilion coordinator Simonne Mackay said they received plenty of positive feedback from this year’s show.
She said they had very good numbers through the gate, including a big crowd on Friday night and another good crowd on Saturday night for the MAC Copper/CSA fireworks displays, both of which contributed to the bar being sold out twice.
Simonne said among this year’s most popular attractions were the mechanical bull ride for adults, the Horseless Barrel Race and the Little Farmers of Cobar competition for the kids.
“The motorbike show was a draw card and the Young Farmers and Dog High jump had great entries. And of course the Dodgems, trampolines, the train, the Music Trip and the Cha-Cha were also popular,” Simonne said.
There were 47 trade stands this year selling their wares, promoting their businesses or providing community information.
Over 50 entries were received for this year’s pet show with 46 ribbons handed out.
The newly named Boucher Pavilion was jam-packed with a near record number of 1,232 entries, with 652 entries received from adults and 580 from juniors. Of those 818 entries were received on Tuesday and 414 were delivered on Thursday!
Eva Halliger won the Lyle Boucher Memorial Trophy as the Most Successful Exhibitor, Ashton Campbell was the Most Successful Junior Boy (for the third consecutive year) and Abigail Theakston and Grace Cavalot equally took out the Junior Girl prize.
Bianca Lane and Nicki Smith shared the Elizabeth Montgomery Craft Award and Baxter Woods and Amelia Freeman earned the Jan Snelson Memorial Encouragement Award (which Ashton won four years ago).
The section winners in the Main Pavilion were: Most Successful Fine Arts—Zandria Chmura (Novice) and Anita Neate (Open); Most Successful Fine Arts Junior—Leila Cavalot (0-5yrs); Louisa Swanepol (6-8yrs); Leila Engelbrecht (9-12yrs) and Isobel Willard (13-18yrs); Most Successful Floral Art—Georgina Whiteman (Novice) and Eva Halliger (Open); Most Successful Floral Art Junior—Tippi Hart Evans (0-5yrs); Walter Landale and Kelsey Coffey (6-8yrs) and Sam McKervey (9-12yrs); Cooking—Louisa Kleu; Vegetables, Jams & Preserves and Fruit & Eggs sections—Eva Halliger; Most Successful Flowers section and Champion Bloom of the Show—Eva Halliger; Champion Rose—Anna Scott; Champion Red Rose—Catherine Manns; Handicraft—Zandria Chmura; Knitting & Crochet—Colleen Boucher; Needlework—Zandria Chmura; Most Successful Junior Cooking—William Scales (0-5yrs); Aubree Everingham (6-8yrs); Charlotte McLean, Breaze Fairfull and Abigail Theakston (9-12yrs) and Lilly Fairfull (13-18yrs); Most Successful Patchwork & Applique section—Jenny Ilett (Novice) and Colleen Flynn (Professional); Most Successful Cake Decorating—Zandria Chmura; Most Successful Junior Craft—Leila Cavalot (0-5yrs); Grace Cavalot (6-8yrs) Abigail Theakston (9-12yrs) and Isla McKervey (13-18yrs); Excellence in Fine Arts—Lauren McClure; Most Successful Junior Lego—Angus Coffey, Van Peters and Dara Martin (0-5yrs); Ivy Joss (6-8yrs); Jake McKervey (9-12yrs) and Jordan Bain Meadows (13-18yrs); Most Successful Junior Photography—Banjo Cain (0-5yrs); Grace Cavalot (6-8yrs); Annabella Francisco (9-12yrs); Michaela Tonnisen (13-18yrs) and Laura Prince (Open).
Simonne praised the work of Cobar Shire Council’s Parks and Gardens staff for the well presented grounds, the show committee and the extra volunteers “who went above and beyond to help”.
