Tenterfield Show a 12-month reunion with flood relief volunteers

This year’s Tenterfield Show was a reunion for many of the people who shared the massive clean-up operation after last year’s floods.
Tenterfield Show Society vice-president and chief ring steward Berin McCoy, Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay and Tenterfield Shire Mayor Toby Smith met last week for an update.
“Last year the Bonshaw and Mingoola communities were struggling to recover from the flood damage and parts of the Tenterfield showground were unusable,” Mr Torbay said.
“It’s amazing the difference a year makes as the rebuilt stud cattle area and shearing shed complex worked so well at this year’s show and so many of the farmers are back in production again,” he said.
“This year’s show was a reunion for so many of the volunteers who helped out during those desperate days including the young volunteers from BackTrack who worked so tirelessly to help farmers replace fencing and clean up debris.”
Mr Torbay said he had asked coordinator Bernie Shakeshaft and the boys who wanted to volunteer for flood relief work to concentrate their efforts in Mingoola and Bonshaw.
“This year the boys came back to help out at the show and to catch up with the farmers they helped 12 months ago,” he said. “The bond that has developed is remarkable and will continue.”
Mr McCoy invited the BackTrack team to the show to be extra hands to move show jumps and undertake other jobs.
“Their involvement was fantastic and we feel such a strong connection with them after their amazing relief work during the floods last year,” he said.
“Not only did they make a huge contribution to the show but it was a chance for them to catch up with the farmers and local families who were so grateful for their help.”
Mr McCoy said the Mingoola community had continued the monthly barbecues that were such a feature of the flood relief effort.
“We want the BackTrack boys to come back for a weekend before too long to see how things have changed,” he said.
“They have a strong link with our community and have earned enormous respect for their fencing skills and work ethic.”