Shows and camp drafts in NSW.

Steve

Sass

 Back on the road and having to tour over most of NSW dodging flood water and taking four days to get to my starting point which would normally have been an easy one days drive away wasn't the best start for another year on the show circuit. My wish is that there were sufficient events in the outback so I could stay well away from the inside country . I changed the routine from previous years to include a few drafts and to sneak up into QLD for the odd show. The new venues included Ashford on the Severn River, Walcha, Baradine, a quiet little village west of the Pilliga scrub, Dirranbandi, Boggabri draft and for Easter, Lightning Ridge. I was amazed that towns such as Toowoomba having suffered devastating floods had no apparent visual scars, even the locals played down the event. Our roads however, after severe flooding leave a lot to be desired. Prior to road work teams tackling the worst effected areas heavy traffic made some of the major highways almost impassable. The truckies talk on the radio kept most of us informed where the worst sections were and with their rather colourful explanations of how the Government should get its act together is certainly entertaining to say the least. I pity those listeners of the fairer sex copping some of the free to air radio discussions that some big hairy gravel voiced truck drivers  choose at times. Thankfully it rarely happens and really the greater percentage of truckies are totally professional in every way and enormously helpful keeping the roads safe with the use of the radio.

Another day over

Town UteSummer rain bath, Mendooran

 A grey overcast day that showered on an off kept me close by the camp so when our feathered friends landed in a white cedar tree close by to bathe in rain I snapped a few shots as they ruffled their feathers turning inside out and up side down getting as wet as they possibly could. I've seen these characters in the city,on the beach at Byron bay and all over the far outback, they are teenage larrikins to say the least and this is the first time I've seen them cutting so many cappers bathing in the rain at the top of a tree. The Walcha community  take enormous pride in their local show. It really is one of the best and the entire town attends as do all the property owners in the district. The main feature as far as the kids are concerned is the peanut drop. Some of the peanuts have been painted various colours some of which are worth quite a few dollars when handed into the secretaries office. Keen eyes are on the look out for these when the mad race commences but failing to find them still allows all involved to gather lots of peanuts to eat so everybody is happy, and special lucky few, extra happy.

Peanuts for the kids

Walcha peanut scramble

Glen Innes show

The Glen Innes show and draft is where Jock and the boys from our factory at Byron head west for a few days in an attempt to dampen their raging thirsts and to also visit me briefly  which was the reason for the trip, apart of course that old mate Keggsy, our main man is a G I local and needs to keep an eye on what the towns young ladies are up too from time to time. As always it's great to catch up with them all especially Sheddy, amazingly the boys are all from the bush and retain the ethics that bush people are so proud of, hence when the pressure comes on the boys hook in hard and never fail to get the job done maintaining the quality of workmanship thats the cornerstone of the leather products we manufacture.