A RODEO rider, a butcher and the man behind one of Tamworth’s biggest moves. In his first year as the newly-elected Tamworth Pastoral and Agricultural Association president, Greg Townsend, isn’t afraid of change. He’s the man heading up Tamworth Show’s move from its home of more than a century at the old showground to AELEC. The 2018 Tamworth Show will be hosted in September instead of its traditional March date to coincide with AELEC’s 10th birthday. He’s hoping the revamped show will spark an interest in agricultural education. So if you want to know where milk comes from, he’s got the answer.
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A NEW venue, a new date and a new committee – dramatic changes to the 2018 Tamworth Show are hoped to pull bigger crowds and rejuvenate agricultural education.
Late last year, The Leader reported that plans were well under way for the show’s move from the showground to AELEC later this year, with representatives from Tamworth Pastoral and Agricultural Association (TPAA) and Tamworth Regional Council working together to ensure a smooth transition.
The long-awaited move is expected to breathe new life into the Tamworth Show, which has been running for more than 146 years.
Newly-elected TPAA president Greg Townsend, a second-generation butcher and rodeo stalwart, expects the move to AELEC to pay dividends.
“This is the best state-of-the-art facility that Australia’s got,” Mr Townsend said.
A change in venue will allow the new TPAA committee, elected in September, to resurrect show events of years gone by.
“As soon as we started to talk AELEC, we’re seeing younger generations come into it with new vibrant ideas to move shows into the next century,” Mr Townsend said.
“We haven’t run a campdraft at Tamworth show for a number of years, so that’s back on the cards, along with a stockman’s challenge (and) show jumping is back on the agenda.
“There are so many things that are coming back to the show that have dwindled off in the last few years.”
The 2018 Tamworth Show, which will be held in September to coincide with AELEC’s 10th birthday, will focus on agricultural education.
“Milk doesn’t just come from aisle four,” Mr Townsend said.
“It comes from a cow. People need to know where things come from because Tamworth is a growing city and you’d be surprised how many people think things just come off a supermarket shelf.”