Narromine High school student Talin Horstman “freaked out” when she walked into the Royal Easter Show but soon got used to the crowds, especially after she tasted a ‘cheese on a stick’ snack.

Talin, 17, was among 35 students and five staff from her school, west of Dubbo, who were recipients of the Royal Agricultural Society’s ‘All Roads to the Royal’ program to bring students from a remote school to the Show in Sydney.

For about half the students, including Talin, it was their first visit to the Big Smoke. Narromine, with a population of 3,500 people, usually only had four rides at its show and attendance of a few hundred people, Talin explained.

Channel 9 TV journalist Mike Dalton hung out with the students, accompanying them from pumpkin bowling to the poultry sheds and woodchopping events and the students featured on the prime-time news.

Larry Moyle, president of the Western District Court, talked to the students about agriculture in their region at the Western District display of produce.

“He told us one year the display had a 700-kilogram pumpkin that had to be lifted in with a forklift, which is crazy,” said student Spenser.

Students toured the animal enclosures and agricultural exhibits and got to go on the rides on the second day of their excursion.

Show snapshots

Country and metropolitan students had another great year at the Sydney Royal, participating in competitions that saw them parading cattle, fluffing chickens, delivering school garden produce, shining eggs and running a café.

Many students and their teachers slept over at the Show near their animals in competition, including Narooma High School (cattle), Peak Hill Central School (Angora goats and Suffolk sheep) and Windsor High (Nigerian dwarf goats named Cupcake, Coco, Meringue, Barbie and more).

Schools small and large entered competitions including Ajuga School for Specific Purposes, who tried out for the school egg-laying competition and the Great Backyard Pumpkin Challenge.

Five public schools were finalists in the prestigious Sydney Royal District Exhibits Schools competition, with Yango Agricultural High School winning first place from Hurlstone Agricultural High School in second place. Lake Illawarra High School was third with a floral tribute to much-loved Agriculture teacher Michelle Atkinson, who passed away last year. Crookwell High School and Tempe High School were also finalists.

Scone High School agriculture teacher and alumnus, Justin Newling, took students to the Show to exhibit Black Angus Steers, continuing a 40-year association with the Royal and the Main Camp Stud at Rouchel.

More than 150 secondary Hospitality students from 17 public schools operated the Rural Students Café, serving 67 coffees an hour for six hours during the peak Senior’s Day on Monday 14 April.

Woodchopping supremo and Brunswick Heads Public School assistant principal Madeleine Kirwan-Edward had the Show audience gasping when there was a dead heat for third place in the Jack and Jill Saw championship event and a ‘saw-off’ was called. Ms Madeleine Kirwan-Edward and Saw partner Noel Marsh lost by 1/100th of a second!

Gorgeous goats

Narrandera High School has developed an impressive reputation in recent years with its Angora goats at the Sydney Royal.

The students had groomed and cared for their animals so well that legendary TV vet Dr Harry Cooper dropped in to visit and film the students at the Show.

The Narrandera High agriculture students and their charges walked out of the ring with Grand Champion Junior and Senior Buck, as well as reserve champion Senior Buck in the open classes. Champion School Buck and Doe, Champion in Sires Progeny and Group of three Angoras, among others.

Year 10 student Jessica Wright spoke with ABC Statewide Drive about the Angora goats and her time at the show.

“Most of them are born and raised on the farm back at Narrandera, so we’ve got them from when they’re a little baby, right up until now – a few of them are three years old,” Jessica said.

“Some of them can be a bit annoying when they have a little nibble at your clothes, but half the time they’re pretty reasonable and settled.”

Last year the school’s Angora goat program was announced as part of a pilot to receive $15,000 in funding from AgriFutures over three years, which helped the students and teachers get to the Show.

Smashing pumpkins

Yowie Bay Public School entered the Royal Easter Show for the first time this year and cleaned up in the celebrity pumpkin lookalike competition.

Teacher Mitchell Sarkis said the school held a pumpkin challenge to select the Show entries from 80 pumpkins decorated by students.

Principal Bronwyn Jeffree said: “Seven mentions from 15 entries for Yowie Bay Public School in our first ever Easter Show. We are very happy.”

First place in the celebrity lookalike pumpkin competition was won by Nate for his ‘Minion’ entry, second place went to Kai for ‘Rainbow Fish’, third places to Liyaarna for ‘Tinkerbell’ and Sam for ‘Golden Snitch, and highly commended to Xander for ‘Minion’ and Liam for ‘Minion’. Benji was highly commended in the best decorated pumpkin category for his ‘Diamante Royal Easter Show’ entry.

Mr Sarkis said the students put in an incredible effort creating their pumpkin entries.

“This marks the beginning of an exciting new tradition for Yowie Bay Public School,” he said.

“Next year we plan to expand our participation by entering pumpkins again as well as chickens, vegetable produce and more.”