With a plan and good attitudes, Croydon pulls off a perfect show
CROYDON is one of the state’s classic old agricultural shows.
It has had three homes, first in the old Croydon sports ground, then for a while at the Royal Melbourne Showground and lately at the Yarra Glen Pony Club ground.
After hearing the forecast for extremely hot weather for the weekend, the Croydon committee discussed how to proceed with the show.
They decided to go ahead but start at 8am and to ask both competitors and judges to move ahead quickly using their vast knowledge, intuition, experience and in many cases tolerance to get through the large program before to predicted 39-degree heat hit.
“We were lucky, as we had quite a breeze and heavy cloud cover, which fortunately didn’t open up until we had completed the program,” show secretary Karen Fisher said.
“It’s very pleasing to say that everyone was exceptionally co-operative and with plenty of classes to choose from they were able to get into classes they wished to enter.”
The interschool and under 18 years rings were very well filled.
After the cancellation of the interschool ring at the recent Equestrian Victoria Summer Show many children were seeking a qualifying event and Croydon happily supported them.
Smartest On Parade winners included Summer De Vries, Elizabeth Brereton and Rowena Cumming. Rowena later went on to win the high point in the secondary school section and Summer the primary school high point.
Croydon’s open rings were very busy with some of the main winners including Emma Richardson’s Royalwood West End as champion open hack with Simone Padoin’s Wynara Signature the reserve champion.
Shelley Howard’s Danson Black Metallic was champion show hunter hack with Emma Parlevliet’s Fairways Danciniro, performing well in open competition after making a clean sweep of the rising star, Debutante and amateur owner-rider sections at the VASA championships, the reserve.
The champion child’s mount sash went to Mia Story’s Bamborough American Idol and the child’s large pony winner was Cora Lyn Marley with Asha Parsons on board.
After 39 years as horse secretary and general secretary Ms Fisher handed over the reins.
“This was my last Croydon show although I will always be in the background to help if needed,” she said.
“I have had a very loyal if not small hard-working committee of three (including me) over the years.”
At a time when it is so difficult to get good volunteers, it is good to see the position has been taken up already by a hard-working Mitch Grayson-Bennett.
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