The Hunter River Times

BY JEM ANSHAW

Brian Collard’s first memories of the Upper Hunter Show were when he would take part as a member of the Junior Farmers Group at 11 or 12 years of age.

“As part of my project with the Junior Farmers was cow and calf rearing, and I guess to the extent that I had finished up and had a little Jersey stud,” he recalled.

“I was showing my stock at shows, I can still recall Branxton had a show, I can remember showing at Dungog Show, Singleton Show, Maitland.

“That got me very keen on the aspect of being part of a show committee.”

When he was in his early 20s he joined the Upper Hunter Show committee and it is a commitment that has lasted more than five decades.

“Probably Sideshow Alley in those early years the equipment was not as big as what comes to the show these days,” Brian recalled when asked what the show looked like in the 70s.

“My early memories of this ground here was a galvanised front fence along the highway, and on it ‘Milk is health’ and that was a strong talking point and it has lasted long with people of the Upper Hunter.

“Also, part of Sideshow Alley, the Holden dealership had a permanent shed there and that’s where they displayed their cars on show day.”

Despite there being a lot of changes about what the show entails over the years, Brian said it is still a country show with a strong beef cattle section along with other agriculture categories.

While his early time with the Upper Hunter Show revolved around Junior Farmers, which became Rural Youth, and showing cattle, over the years he has experienced many aspects of the show.

“The bigger involvement as a committee person is to just assist,” he explained.

“My involvement has been with the horse section and I have been a part of that for many, many years I have been the show jumping person and I am still there today.

“That has given me a lot of pleasure to see a lot of top riders on our ground over the years.”

Agriculture is in Brian’s blood, with his parents and grandparents all running dairy farms while he was younger, which is part of the reason he said he has stayed with it for so long but his time has also had its rewards.

“I guess some of the memories might relate to the success of some people that may have started here,” he shared.

“A couple of our showgirls went on from here to be successful at the Royal Easter Show, and then I guess seeing young people develop and where life may have taken them.”

In the past decade Brian has been awarded life membership with the Upper Hunter Show committee and last month he was named Muswellbrook Citizen of the Year for 2022, both of which came as a pleasant surprise.