By Emily-Rose Toohey
With Friday 13 May bringing heavy rain and flooding to the region, scheduled events for the weekend were forced to postpone or cancel.
The Black Toyota Bull Ride in Allora was one of these casualties after the Show Society made the choice to cancel last Friday’s event.
Allora Show Society vice-president Hugh Huston said it was not a tough decision to make a week in advance due to the weather forecast not being in their favour.
“Our stock contractor comes from Casino way, and it’s hard handling livestock in wet weather, especially rodeo bulls,” Hugh said.
“There was more rain everyday, including the Friday night.”
This was not Allora’s first cancellation of the year, as both their Agricultural Show and Heritage Weekend could not go ahead.
However, Hugh said this has not effected the town’s morale.
“People learn to cope with the conditions,” he said.
“But it has certainly has effected us financially, as the Bull Ride is one of our biggest fundraisers.
“We also depend on people in caravans coming through – they’re our bread and butter and they also spend money in the town.”
But Hugh said it was not all doom and gloom, as a team ranch sorting event took place over the weekend and the Boer War Monument will be commemorated this Saturday.
“The team ranch sorting is an American based event and a fellow from Dubbo hosted it in Allora,” he said.
“It was a three day event and halfway through the first day we had to open more pens – it was very successful and we would have needed a bigger shed if the Bull Ride had gone ahead.”
Allan State School’s 150-year anniversary celebrations were scheduled to go ahead starting on Friday 13.
Organiser Jenny Thomson said the postponement had more of an impact on the guests attending than the organisers, as many had travelled specially for the event.
“We made the decision on the Friday morning after receiving the notices from council,” Jenny said.
“Everybody understood – there was nothing anyone could do and it was out of our hands.”
The anniversary will now go ahead Saturday 11 June, and Jenny said they are expecting a smaller attendance.
“A lot of people won’t be able to get back for it,” she said.
“The Friday night official opening at the Sandy Creek Pub will be more scaled back but the Saturday events will go ahead the same.”
Jenny has a family connection to the school and said she is the great great granddaughter of Michael and Anne McKone, who donated the school land 150 years ago in 1871.
“It’s an honour to be part of it,” she said.
“We’ve had a plaque created and the Men’s Shed have made the Allan State School sign.”
However, Jenny said they will have to tailor the day depending on how soggy the land will be.
“It was easy to chose a new date as it was dictated by most people being able to get some accommodation, so we went for it,” she said.
Similarly, 150 year events in Stanthorpe were postponed including the Tin Experience at Amiens, which fortunately went ahead last weekend.
