AGQUIP opened yesterday with not a grumble of complaint about the damp conditions that greeted the 15,000 visitors through the gates.
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Rural Press Events operations manager Kate Nugent said the feeling of optimism from three days of rain was almost palpable.
“It couldn’t have come at a more critical time. We’ve had people saying ‘You guys are amazing – you’ve done it again’,” Ms Nugent said yesterday.
“It’s just an incredible feeling of good ...
“We’ve not had any big sales reported at this point but it’s just given that absolute boost to agricultural industries.”
It would help the remaining two days of AgQuip, too, she said.
“This is exactly what we needed, this is exactly what we hoped for. It’s not dusty and it’s not muddy – it’s just fantastic,” Ms Nugent said.
The 15,000 visitors was slightly down on the previous year’s first-day total, but organisers are confident numbers will build.
As for the rain, there were easing showers yesterday, but still some handy falls in the district through Monday and into the evening.
They included a welcome 23mm at Weabonga, another 11mm for Mount Kaputar, 12mm in Woolbrook, 10mm for Bendemeer, Walcha and Guyra, 5mm for Tamworth, Glen Innes 8mm and Blackville 6mm.
The best total in the district over the weekend and up to 9am on Monday was 78mm at Mount Kaputar.
Other places which received good falls on the weekend included Krui Plains (near Croppa Creek) where 52mm of rain fell to 9am Monday, while Pilliga received 54mm and Pallamallawa 55mm.
Tamworth welcomed a weekend total of 42mm up to 9am on Monday, while Drake (on the tablelands) and Coonabarabran received 38mm each. Glen Innes, Manilla and Gunnedah recorded 30mm, Armidale and Moree 25mm, Narrabri 32mm, Tenterfield 26mm, Tingha and Quirindi 31mm, Inverell 36mm, Breeza 17mm and Werris Creek 37mm.
