Organisers have focused on getting kids through the gates this year and there’s some promising signs for the show’s future.

The 12mm of rain that welcomed the show to town on Friday morning probably scared off a few ordinary punters, but more than 700 kids still flooded through the gates.

The region’s primary schools were invited to the opening day, to give local children a show experience they wouldn’t usually get.

“These kids are the future of the show,” schools’ day organiser Leonie Mitchell said.

“That’s idea of it, bringing the next generation of our community to the show.

“It’s also chance for underprivileged kids who can’t afford to come to the show, who don’t get to see it, they get to see what’s happening.”

A number of local organisations came to the party with the Aboriginal land council putting on an artefacts display, Woolomin school bringing back its animal nursery, and local high schools letting the youngsters have a look at their junior livestock judging.

The initiative also doubled as a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Tamworth.

“The kids pay five dollars to come along and three dollars of that goes to RMH,” Ms Mitchell said.

“This way they get to see everything that’s involved in the show, see the preparations of the animals, while raising money for a good cause.”

Last year’s Tamworth Showgirl and committee member Hillary Thornberry said the wet-weather did put overall numbers down for the first day.

“It does come alive on Saturday with a lot of our horse and livestock events,” Ms Thornberry said.

“The rodeo is on at 6.30 on Saturday, which is our big event.”

More than 260 local kids were involved in the junior judging events on the opening day, including 86 in the junior parade and 47 entrants seeking qualification for the cattle parade event at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.