Spring is normally the busiest time of year for the state's country shows but this year most of the pavilions will be empty and grounds missing their show day fanfare.
Many shows had already cancelled, but in the past fortnight more have fallen with SA reintroducing COVID-19 restrictions on private gatherings and details emerging about the many criteria that show volunteers need to meet under a COVID-19 Management Plan to run large events.
Thirty eight of 41 SA country shows on the calendar between now and the end of November have been cancelled with only Uraidla and Parndana still to decide the fate of their shows.
Naracoorte Show has flagged holding several competitive sections in local businesses around the town.
Earlier this week one of the state's biggest shows Mount Gambier which normally attracts close to 10,000 people over two-days in mid October postponed its 160th celebrations until 2021.
Two months ago things were looking a lot better and we were hopeful restrictions would continue to ease not go the other way,
- Danielle Tulak, Mount Gambier Show president
Mt Gambier Agricultural & Horticultural Society president Danielle Tulak says the decision had been "carefully considered" but the committee had come to the difficult decision that cancelling was the only way to go.
"Two months ago things were looking a lot better and we were hopeful restrictions would continue to ease not go the other way," she said.
She says the committee was "deeply disappointed" but the health and safety of the community, volunteers and exhibitors was their foremost consideration.
The society also needed to ensure it remained viable for future shows and for other events held on the showgrounds.
"We could spend money putting a show on but if we can't guarantee the patronage through the gates, financially there is the potential for a massive loss."
"We have made the decision at the right time, while we continued to plan in the last two or three months we didn't have to pay any deposits."
Mrs Tulak said they remained hopeful of being able to hold the school's led steer competition which normally has about 20 steers from five schools, as long as the Department of Education allowed school excursions.
"The A&H Horse committee is meeting this week and might still hold something on show day but it is likely to be under a separate entity," she said.
The final country show for the year, Parndana, scheduled for November 14, is still hoping to go ahead.
Parndana show secretary Alicia Cooper says they are keen to give the fire-ravaged community a morale boost with the last event held in late January when the Australian Defence Force put on a concert.
"Because we are late in the season it gives us time to see what we can do that is easy and can be done within the COVID restrictions," she said.
'We really want to put on something for the community, while there is junior footy there is no senior footy, it is a long time since we have had anything."
Ms Cooper says they are not planning to bring big attractions from the mainland in case they need to cancel at the last minute but are keen to still run some of the competitive sections such as a shearing competition and wool, along with a Farmers Market for locals to showcase their produce.
"Most of the committee are bushfire victims so whatever we do needs to fit around building houses and farms and getting back on track, but everyone has been asking for an event to look forward to, especially for the children," she said.
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