Born from adversity but kept up every year through a combination of humour and talent on the part of participants, the Ingenious Sheep Section at the Stanthorpe Show might have started as a tongue-in-cheek competition but it always wins the hearts of showgoers as they wander through the Sheep and Wool Pavilion.
But don’t let anyone try to pull the wool over your eyes – the sheep in these entries aren’t real. They’re rather artistic endeavours to keep the sheep industry front-of-mind in good times and in bad.
Big or small, humble efforts or veritable works of art, the entries are testament to the fact that sheep farmers (and their children) have a never-say-die attitude whether it’s in a good season or in the middle of a drought when sheep numbers and condition have baa’d them from making a decent showing.
The competition is rather aptly named, because every year people come up with some ingenious entries.
Last year there were rumours of the competition getting the chop but luckily that didn’t happen, shanks to its popularity. It was thought the organisers would get a lambasting if they let the comp get the cut (also known as getting the cut-let). Ewe know, I think I should stop now, before someone says I should be put behind baa’s for this piece of silly nonsense.
