Despite the tough and dry conditions this year’s 26th annual Nyngan Ag Expo was another great success.
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People hailed from around NSW and beyond to witness the expo day and its 332 exhibitors.
Ag Expo event organiser, Robyn Harris said this year exhibitor numbers and gate takings were up, despite the current drought situation.
“I think that under the current economic climate for the farming community, I think it went really well,” Ms Harris said.
“We had the support from the community and also from the exhibitors.”
“[The exhibitors] felt they should come out and support the community to be here, and thought it was better for them to be seen even though they knew that it wasn't going to be a big selling time.”
“Despite everything I was delightedly surprised,” she said.
This year Jemrok from Cobar took out the award for overall display excellence, however the most educational prize went to the Bogan Shire’s Bush Mobile.
Ms Harris said after last years first run of the Sports Shear which gained 40 competitors, this year it was another big highlight of the event drawing in 60 shearers.
“It definitely was a highlight. They had just on 60 shearers competing ... and created a crowd with people who were rallying them on,” Ms Harris said.
Ms Harris said now in it’s 26th year it is a continually growing event, and is run locally, not just for the farming community, but the community as a whole and couldn’t be possible without its volunteers and sponsors.
“It started with four exhibitors and centred around the NSW sheep dog trials, and today there are 332 exhibitors,” Ms Harris said.
“So that's a massive event, and for a volunteer committee, they work together so well.
”I just think for a small committee to put on such a growing event, is really something else.
“They all committed to putting on this event, and it is a community event and the funds raised stay within the Nyngan community,” she said.
In past years the Expo has raised a number of funds for CanAssist and notably the Country Education Foundation, to support local kids further their education.
“It took another committee member and myself three years to get that Country Education Foundation support and to get it up and running for Nyngan.”
“Nyngan Ag Expo put funding into it for the kids to further their education, so it's not necessarily tro go onto university … but for those who want to go on to TAFE or to do their training and apprenticeship.
Ms Harris said anyone who would like to join the committee to get in contact with her.
“We’re always looking for people on the ground, and we have good support volunteers who help on the day. Everyone pulls forward for it,” she said.