Kununurra Show

Today was a big day in Kununurra and one we had looked forward to for a while. Some weeks ago when we were planning (?) this part of our trip we decided after talking to Matt to be in Kununurra for the Agricultural Show and we were not disappointed at all.

We have been a fan of country shows for a long time and this one was really fun. We arrived at 8.30am not wanting to miss anything and not really knowing the timetable until we arrived. Whilst having a coffee at the CWA tent we marked our program for the day starting with the first round of the Kimberley Cook Off Challenge featuring two local girls and compared by a Perth Chef. The challenge ingredient for the first round was ruby grapefruit which is grown locally and is so sweet, nothing like the grapefruit we have at home. The challenge was to prepare two courses featuring the challenge ingredient in one hour and be judged by the guest chef and also with a couple of ring in’s from the audience. Lo and behold Ian was selected to be a guest judge and it was not a hard task for him at all as the dishes prepared were very tasty. Firstly he had chicken breast stuffed with spinach, brie and ruby grapefruit followed by a white chocolate and ruby grapefruit mousse.  Tough job, but he managed. Then there was kangaroo fillet marinated in lime and grapefruit juice served with a green and chick pea salad.  Again he managed and gave his considered opinion! 

After that wonderful start to the show we moved on to see the Art and Craft’s pavilion where there was a very good display of all things you expect to see but some really original categories such as ‘Collections’ some of which were really clever. One collection was of beanies, another shoes (really outlandish ones too!), another a collection of all things relating to a particular musical.

In the fruit and veg department Matt came up trumps with his green and red chillies and in the cookery section his partner Taneille also was successful with baking a slice that looked so good.

On the arena we watched a race between horse and a motor bike around a series of drums. The horse won very easily as their manoeuvrability far outweighed the motor bike but it was very entertaining to watch.

Also on the arena we saw a number of tug of war events with sizeable prize money I might add for the winning team so it was indeed taken seriously.

Also a very serious event (?) was the Lawn Mower Race which was much anticipated and much laughed at especially when a John Deere mower appeared out of the display area to join in the race. There is no such thing as bad publicity! How about the head gear – really stylish! These coloured wigs are really the thing to wear at the show so it seems.

However one event that really had us laughing was the Melon Olympics. We were fascinated to see a line up of melons in pairs having a piece taken out of the top sitting on a large sheet of black plastic which was being covered with soapy water. What followed was a very popular event seeing the competitors firstly having to hollow out the watermelons to fit on their feet before picking up as many honey dew melons before sliding down the plastic to the drums at the end and throwing their honey dew melons in. There were at least 50 kids competing and also many adults having a go.  Very amusing and the kids were very determined to get to the end also a couple of littlies whose melon shoes were nearly as big as they were had some helpful assistance from the judges.

Later in the day when it was almost getting dark as it does here quite early at 5 o’clock there was the Hay Stacking Competition which Matt had entered, or been told to enter. The object of this event is to stack a set number of hay bales as high as you can and then have a member of your team stand aloft this precarious construction to be measured as the highest within a set period of time.  The stacks were high and not too stable but stayed upright long enough for Matt’s team to be victorious.

The last event was the one we had anticipated all day. It is called the Kimberley Cowboy Challenge and Matt had suggested Ian should enter. Thank God he had the sense to think that was the sort of suggestion Warwick would make having in mind the hilarity this would cause everyone. The event commenced with starting in your swag, then when the whistle starts the challenge you have to get up, put on your boots and hat, roll up your swag and do up one strap. Then you have to have a wash by running over to a bucket and wash your face all over.

Having woken up you must have breakfast consuming all of a dry weet-bix and a glass of tomato juice without spilling or spitting or face the wrath of the judge, then load your ute by placing a 44 gallon drum on the back. Putting out the feed is next by rolling a bale of hay to a marked area.

If that isn’t enough this energetic farmer must then run and hammer two star pickets into the ground with the dolly using at least five hits before heading off to get a whip and knock a can off a 44 gallon drum.

Finally to signify knocking off after a long day on the farm, open a can of warm beer and drain it, again being careful to consume it all or have another for your rouble.  It was so much fun to watch but Matt could only manage forth this time but just finishing was a feat we reckoned.

Just to show that this show doesn’t take itself too seriously, in the schedule detailing the rules for the Giant Pumpkin and Vegetable Competition, the Rules of Competition were:

There are no rules

Bribery is encouraged

(Please see a committee member for the current rate)

A great day for all involved we thinks!