AFTER the cancellation of footy and so many other events in the past month, Bordertown meat sheep and beef cattle breeder Alastair Day had been really looking forward to the 2020 Royal Adelaide Show.
And while he is disappointed the COVID-19 crisis forced the show's cancellation for the first time in 75 years, he understands everyone's health has to come first.
"It is a great time to promote your stock in a central location and a great tradition for us, but if we can't show our sheep for a year, so be it," he said.
"It would have been a hard decision for John Rothwell and the organisers, but imagine how good next year will be in 17 months time."
The Day family's Allendale stud has won countless broadribbons at the Royal Adelaide Show since Alastair's grandfather, the late Allen E Day, made a stellar debut in 1935, winning champion Suffolk ram and ewe.
His parents Graham and Prue, and now he and brother Lachy - who runs Days Whiteface stud with his wife Lou - have shown every year since, other than during World War II, when the show was cancelled.
"Adelaide is the best sheep show in Australia, so in a lot of breeds you come up against the best sheep in Australia," Alastair said.
Alastair and his wife Jayne had nearly 40 Poll Dorsets and Suffolks selected for this year's show and were also looking to make a return to the beef cattle ring with some Poll Hereford entries.
The usually busy time leading up to their annual sheep sale in October will be quiet with Hamilton Sheepvention, Vic, in August also cancelled and a decision on the Royal Melbourne Show scheduled for late September, still pending.
But Alastair knows, as livestock breeders, they are more fortunate than others whose incomes are entirely derived from shows, such as show ride operators.
"Agriculture seems to be much better off than some," he said.
"I am confident our (sheep) sale will go ahead, even if we have to have a few inspection days for people to look at the sheep."
New ideas sought on steer competition, sale as Royal Show cancelled
RA&HS of SA Beef Cattle Committee chairman David Copping said it was a "sad day" for the society to have to cancel the 2020 show, but was confident breeders would be back bigger than ever in 2021.
"A lot of our beef exhibitors and spectators have been attending for generations and will sorely miss this annual pilgrimage to the beef cattle lawns," he said.
"The show is not only about exhibiting, but also catching up with people from within the beef industry from all over the country that only happens once a year."
Mr Copping said the Shorthorn breed, which had rescheduled their 2020 feature show, would be a highlight in 2021.
The show is not only about exhibiting, but also catching up with people from within the beef industry from all over the country that only happens once a year.
- DAVID COPPING
He said the beef cattle committee had been working behind the scenes on a contingency plan for the led steer competition and last week a letter was sent to all exhibitors.
Mr Copping said provided there was sufficient interest and the present restrictions allowed it, a steer carcase competition could still be held this year and the committee is encouraging schools to continue preparing their steers.
Merino SA is also hoping the nation's premier Merino multi-vendor sale - the Adelaide Merino ram sale - will still go ahead.
Merino SA president Nick Wadlow said there were a few options being considered, but the committee would finalise the sale format by late July.
"We are very strong on the sale still happening and we believe that hopefully by spring time we will be a long way to being on top of the pandemic and can conduct a sale as best we can," he said.
"The Adelaide Merino ram sale has used AuctionsPlus for the past couple of years and we planned on that continuing so we have a great platform, but we are hoping to still have a physical presence for buyers."
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