THERE are plenty of ways to measure how successful a show has been.
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For the organisers, the bare pantries following the Tamworth show told the tale.
The turnstiles were whirring and the hordes were hungry.
Vendors were selling-out in quick time and one stint at the barbecue saw more than 800 sausages sold in about an hour.
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Tamworth show association committee member Janelle Tongue reported a number of exhibitors were "over the moon" with this year's attendance.
It was a boon and brought some vindication for the Tamworth Pastoral and Agricultural Association in a period of rebuilding for the 146-year-old event.
It was the second year the show as been hosted at AELEC and it has already proved to be a positive move, the committee said.
"We have made a really big step in one year," Mrs Tongue said.
"Last year we made a start and it has gone better than what we expected."
In an age where a number of small town shows have bitten the dust, the Tamworth show committee has bucked the trend and braced for growth.
A new feature at this year's show was the Australiasian Barbecue Alliance championships which saw about 20 meat-maestros go head-to-head on the grills.
Mrs Tongue said they've vowed to bring 60 smokers back next year.
"We're going to run out of room," she said in jest.
There was a sense of resilience on show as well, with local livestock and produce showcase in spite of the current conditions and drought.
There was 40 head of dairy cattle at the show in 2019 and that figure is set to double next year as well.
However, attendance numbers were down on the Father's Day Sunday, which was seen as a bit of a downside.
There were a number of factors behind the show's overall success this year, according to the organisers.
"There was good weather, that was one thing that gets people out and about, but it is not good weather for the countryside," Mrs Tongue said.
"And there is still a bit of curiosity.
"People are curious about how it works out there.
"Having the governor-general as a special guest to come and open the show, it had a regal type of ceremony about it, that brought people in."