THE Royal Adelaide Show can be chaos - a thousand flashing lights, sounds and announcements all trying to attract your attention, not to mention the people walking everywhere, in all directions, all the time.
It's enough to make you yearn for an oasis of calm among the chaos. Who would have thought a shed full of animals could offer that calm escape?
The livestock competitions run like a well-oiled machine. Sure, there is the odd judge who shows little regard for sticking to the timetable, and there are always a few animals that are in no mood to be paraded and judged, but by and large, it's an impressive operation to watch.
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Sheep from one class leave the show ring, only to be instantly replaced by the next entrants, while bulls - some weighing almost a tonne - stand calmly on the lawns, while their handlers give them a relaxing scratch.
There's so much that could go wrong but doesn't.
It's a remarkable feat, given the sheer numbers involved, and the judges, exhibitors, stewards and countless volunteers deserve a pat on the back for making it happen.
The various prime lamb and maternal sheep breeds attracted in excess of 1000 entries at the weekend, and have since been replaced by more than 400 Merino, school wether and Prime SAMM entries.
The dairy section usually attracts about 400 entries, with about 600 to 700 across beef cattle and led steers.
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One of my favourite aspects of the show is that every breed - be it the biggest or the smallest - gets its time in the spotlight.
It doesn't matter if a breed has one exhibitor and three entries, or 25 exhibitors and 280 entries, the care and attention that has gone into preparing the animals for the show is the same.
And where else are you likely to see such a diverse range of breeds gathered in the one place?
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I grew up around sheep, and had experienced my fair share of Merinos, White Suffolks and Texels, but without coming to the show through the years, I might never have encountered a Dorset Horn, a Ryeland or a Cheviot.
While some of the smaller breeds might not be seen too often in saleyards these days, it doesn't mean they haven't played an integral role in making our livestock industries what they are today.
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