Official Opening of the Dalby Show

The Honourable Mark Furner MP, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries; Ms Ann Leahy MP, Member for Warrego; Mayor of Western Downs Regional Council, Councillor Paul McVeigh; President of the Dalby Show Society, Mr Frank Chiverton; Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,

I thank the Dalby South State School Band and Choir for their outstanding performance of our national anthem.

This is my first official visit to Dalby as Governor, and I am delighted to see the Vice Regal standard flying proudly above these historic showgrounds.

Kaye and I are delighted to be with you all at this official opening of the 148th Annual Dalby Show.

148 shows – what a grand record! When the first Annual Dalby Show was held — in 1870 — the independent colony of Queensland was just eleven years old.

We still hadn’t built our first permanent bridge – that was four years away – and it would be six years before the first Ekka was held, in 1876. 

But the people of Dalby understood the great potential of their town and their region, and they believed absolutely in the great future of rural enterprise on the Downs, and with that optimism and self-belief, they established the Dalby Show.

And what a terrific, action-packed show it has become, with a Rodeo, Fireworks, Demolition Derby, Young Farmers Challenge, Live Bands, Fashion Parades, a Reptile Show and of course, exhibiting and judging the beautiful livestock and produce of this bountiful region of our State.

I am particularly pleased to see that the wonderful musical talents of the young people of Dalby and the region will be showcased in the program, with choirs, bands and concert bands drawn from the talented students of the Dalby State School, the Dalby State High School and Our Lady of the Southern Cross College all performing at this year’s Show.

This is a region with proud history of horsemanship, and I am told there is keen competition among the riders and breeders in the many sectors of the competition. I wish them all well.

I also wish to extend my sincere congratulations to the hardworking Show Committee, led by Show President, Frank Chiverton. We can all see the result of their hard work and dedication here today, along with the staunch support of the Western Downs Regional Council. And I acknowledge, with gratitude, the sponsoring businesses for their support of this icon of the Darling Downs.

It is now my great pleasure to declare officially open the 148th Annual Dalby Show.

Thank you all.