IT is less than 100 days until the gates open at the Royal Adelaide Show, and entries for a number of categories will soon be closing.
One farmer counting down to SA’s major event is Carolyn Johnson, Carcuma North, Peake, who has exhibited at the show since she could walk.
Mrs Johnson begun exhibiting with sheep from her parents the late Murray and Rose Allen, Allenville, Kadina, progressing to school exhibits, and regularly sends in entries from her own farm.
As the agricultural teacher at Karoonda Area School, Mrs Johnson also spearheads the school’s show team.
“My year is not complete if we have not been to the Royal Adelaide Show,” she said.
It is not just fleece and sheep exhibited by Mrs Johnson and her husband Grant, but cookery – in particular fruit cake – from Mrs Johnson and her daughter Elsie.
Last year, Carcuma North was the most successful premature fleece exhibitor and also won champion premature ram’s fleece.
In 2015, Mrs Johnson won the state final for Genoa cake, best fruit cake and pudding exhibit with a cloth pudding and was the most successful fruit cake and pudding exhibitor.
She said entering the show, much more than the awards, is a valuable experience to gain feedback from judges and peers about respective industries.
“While you don’t necessarily get direct feedback from the judges, you do have informal discussions with other producers in the industry,” she said.
“You can’t just expect feedback, you’ve got to seek feedback from the appropriate people the often comes as a result of friendships you form at the show.”
To date, about 7000 entries have been received with the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of SA expecting more than 30,000 across all competition categories.
Entries for the woodcutting and beer and cider categories have already closed, with dairy, grains and fodder, beef cattle and cookery to shut early next month.
RAHS of SA chief executive officer John Rothwell said the show was evolving with innovation practices, as well as maintaining its agricultural history.
He said sheep entries were the strongest they had been in the show’s history.
“Our counsellors who have helped nurture and develop the section have created a section relevant to their industry and, from a producer or stud’s point of view, it is still very worthwhile to be involved,” he said.