Show success lies with local youth

THE ball has officially started rolling with discussions aimed at overhauling next year’s Longreach Show now underway.

Show attendance around country Australia has been in steady decline since its hey-day when wool was king.

Longreach locals believe now is the time to take the bull by the horns and address our changing demographic.

The Longreach Show Society held its annual general meeting last week, with committee members and office bearers inviting the public to sit in and start the ideas flowing for a 2007 Show revamp.

Many believe it is time to start listening to the youth of Longreach in order to make the Show a success.

"The whole movement of Show societies is made up of old people," Mrs Bowden said.

"They keep telling us that the problem lies in the old people, not willing to let go or help out up-and-coming young people."

Ideas were rushing thick and fast with Mrs Bowden drawing on the success of the Boonah Show which has its own separate junior show committee.

"This junior committee has their own separate show – a whole night that is targeted at youth, with things like poetry competitions, a ute show, local band competitions, mini-motorcross competition, and a pet show.

"The kids were excited about it and brought their parents with them, who in turn spent the money."

Committee member Roley Deane added: "The benefit lies in giving young people something to own.

"Let them know that we are here to help, but it’s their party. Give them that sense of ownership."

For junior vice-president Ben Forrest the next step lies in generating excitement to get more people involved.

"We should be focusing on selling the benefits of being on the committee.

"At the moment there are no incentives to be involved.
"We are asking people to join at a time when the Show is struggling.
"We need to get momentum going again."

Mrs Bowden said it was not just the Longreach Show that recorded lower than usual takings in 2006.

"As a whole, the Show movement is struggling, it’s not just us.

"We all know that we didn’t make as much money this year.
"Maybe next year we can look at sourcing local entertainment. There are some bloody good entertainers in this town, maybe it’s time we asked them along."