Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Saturday I was privileged to open the Kalbar Show and to celebrate 80 years of the Kalbar Show operating. I want to commend the Kalbar and District Agricultural and Pastoral Association Inc. for their wonderful contribution. A few weeks before that, with my wife, Caroline, I was at the Kalbar Show Ball at the Roadvale School of Arts. I want to congratulate rural ambassador for 2009 Colleen Lobwein, flower girl Jessika Doyle, junior princess Emily Greenwell, princess Tammy Lee, junior showgirl Amy Kliese, showgirl Victoria Dieckmann, Matron Jocelyn Oppermann and king of the ball John Spencer.

The Kalbar Show Ball is an important event in the Fassifern Valley. The Kalbar Show started as a calf show in 1926 at the local Englesburg School, which is now known as the Kalbar State School. Dances were held in the Hermanns family barn on their farm and grand concerts were held in the school of arts that night. They used to take the cattle up to three miles across the grounds, which were then, as I understand, owned by the Damm and Hermann families involved in cattle production and growth in that area. Pigs from the district were also entered in the early shows. The shows were held in April, but eventually they were moved because they conflicted with Easter and Anzac Day. It is great to be there at the Kalbar Show. Local wine, olives and gourmet cheeses—(Time expired)