Trucks take centre stage

Competition organiser and Angaston Show committee member Amy Doecke wanted to help restore the trucking industry's "bad rap" with communities and offer an opportunity to understand the "beauty" of trucks.

"There are ute musters and other big truck shows at Mannum and Murray Bridge - the Barossa is a freight hub so it made sense to have our own competition," she said.

"I wanted to showcase to the general public what trucks are and how they can be the pride and joy for some owners - for most, it is their favourite toy.

"Trucks are an important part of Australian culture and it was an opportunity for children and adults to get up close and personal to a truck, rather than just see it drive past on the road."

Farmers, drivers and truck companies from across the Barossa Valley, Mid North and Yorke Peninsula entered the competition, which had 22 entries.

The trucks were manufactured from 1922 to 2019 and categories included the Best Truck 2013-onward that was won by Jace Ohara, Adelaide, Best Truck pre-2013 model, awarded to Rick Doecke, Truro, and Best Vintage Truck, won by Barossa Machinery Preservation Society for a 1922 Garford truck.

People's Choice was awarded to the Barossa Valley's Bryan Burman for his Kentworth K200.

Looking ahead, Ms Doecke said a committee would be formed and more judges will be introduced to make sure next year's competition is "even better".

"Each year we try to offer something a bit different for patrons and the truck competition has definitely achieved that," she said.

"Show rides were not included at the Angaston Show this year - the show committee wanted it to return to its grassroots of agricultural shows and showcase the local community and agricultural sector."

Ms Doecke said the competition also helped to attract new patrons to the show.

"Truck enthusiasts definitely made the effort to come out and have a look, as well as the younger generations too because many entered the competition and their friends came to support them," she sad.

"The average time we had people staying at the show in the past was about four hours but this year, we think the truck show made people stay for the entire day."

Next year, a new category - Workhorse Truck - will be introduced.

"It's not always the prettiest truck that does the best job," Ms Doecke said.

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IN ITS first year, the Angaston Truck 'Show n Shine' competition attracted many well-loved "old and big" trucks, according to judge Shane Doecke.

Mr Doecke is a mechanic and said it was great to see a different view of trucks.

"Being a mechanic, I only know what it is like to work on a truck, it is not very often that I get to step back and appreciate what I am working on," he said.

"It was a good experience to look closely at the trucks on the day and offer the owners and drivers some feedback about the effort they put into looking after their trucks."

Mr Doecke said it was a challenge to judge the truck entries because he had always judged trucks based on their mechanical issues.

"On the day, I looked for aesthetics, cleanliness, modifications and in the vintage sections I looked closely for originality and quality of the restoration," he said.

"Separating trucks that were just a few years a part in age and being critical of the owner or driver's ability to clean it at midnight the night before the show was really difficult."

Mr Doecke used his expertise from under the hood to make a decision on the best presented trucks on the day, including the Best Farm Truck that he awarded to the Barossa Valley's Graham Bruhn, for his 1957 Chevrolet Viking.

"It had excellent restoration," he said.

Mr Doecke believed the competition will be "bigger and better" next year.

"There is a lot of interest from people about the history of trucking in Australia and how far truck models have progressed," he said.

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