Don't miss the Cobargo Show: good old-fashioned fun with plenty of thrills and spills

The Cobargo Show is back for 2025 – 126 years after the first show was organised by the Cobargo Agricultural Pastoral & Horticultural Society.

Held at the Cobargo Showground, the show offers a wide range of entertainment, from professional motorbike stunt shows and working kelpie and shearing demonstrations to home-grown creations like car soccer and lawn mower racing. It also includes crowd favourites like the rodeo and chainsaw events.

Kids can take part in the mini rodeo, some of the many equestrian events, or the more sedate but highly entertaining fancy dress on horseback competition.

Given the popularity of ABC TV’s Muster Dogs, the demonstrations of the Hawkesbury Working Kelpies rounding up sheep will be a hit. The shearing competition is also new to the show this year.

For adrenaline junkies, the Madstyle Moto Stunt Show and motorbike obstacle courses are must-sees.

For motor thrills of a different type, there is car soccer, which features a massive ball, and the lawn mower race.

Cobargo AP & H Society vice-president June Tarlinton said everybody comes for something different, but the rodeo and chainsaw events always draw big crowds. This year, there will be a chainsaw carving demonstration.

The rodeo promises to be even more dramatic this year with the upgraded PA system providing a soundtrack as the bulls enter the arena.

The wife-carrying competition has become so popular that they have had to limit numbers.

“In the past, the young lads have been entering with the skinniest girls they could find,” Ms Tarlinton said.

“This year, we are insisting they are wives. How far we get managing that, we will see. Last year it was messy and muddy and wet.”

The dog high jump and the mini dog race always get a rousing response from the crowd.

“It is quite a prestigious thing to win,” Ms Tarlinton said. “People are very proud of their dogs when they win.”

Howlin’ Mitch and Felicity Dowd will be performing on Friday night. In January, Ms Dowd made it to the finals of the Star Maker competition at the Tamworth Country Music Festival for the second consecutive year.

“We had Felicity very early in her career when we hosted the Zone Showgirl competition in 2019 and there is a special connection between her and Cobargo,” Ms Tarlinton said.

Saturday evening’s performers, Garry Carson Jones’ country rock band, The Poddy Dodgers, are sure to bring the house down.

“They are incredibly popular,” Ms Tarlinton said. “They’re worth their weight in gold. People will come just to see them.”

Other traditional country show entertainment on offer are the axemen events and the whip crack competition.

Equestrian events include showjumping, hack, heavy horse and harness, team sorting and novelty events, such as the bending and flag races, which test the horses’ speed and agility.

In contrast, only inexperienced horses can compete in the novice working horse challenge.

At the other end of the spectrum is the camp draft competition, where the speed and agility of specially trained horses combine with breathtaking horsemanship.

Another highlight of the show is the Pavilion, which features countless exhibits of local art, photography, cakes, crafts, agricultural produce, vegetables, fruit, flowers, jams, jellies, preserves, sauces and pickles.

This year, there may be even more entries as there is no Bega Show due to the Bega Showground being closed for upgrades and renovations.

The Cobargo Show opens at 9 am on Friday, 7 February, and wraps up with the car soccer at 7:30 pm on Sunday, 9 February. Tickets can only be purchased at the gates. Check the website for a detailed timetable of events and ticket prices.

Original Article published by Marion Williams on Riotact.