Electric fencing, strict control of vehicles on the showgrounds and a four-day event to allow for throrough monitoring of animals entering the grounds are some of the measures that the Bathurst Agricultural Show’s organising committee are taking to ensure the event is compliant with biosecurity regulations. With foot and mouth disease limiting the movement of livestock in the province, the event will be one of only a handful to be accredited and fully compliant with the strict control measures enforced by the Department of Agriculture.
The Bathurst Agricultural Society’s story over the past year has been marked with important milestones, it emerged during president Neil Scott’s report at the AGM at the showgrounds on Thursday October 26. One of the most significant has been the securing of an adequate and relilable water supply for the grounds. The upgrade, costing R280 000 had meant no need to cart buckets to flush toilets, or bring in water tankers to fill tanks.
Scott spoke of the ‘value of friends’, explaining how important the dedication and service of the committee as well as many volunteers from the community had been key to the resurgence of the Bathurst Agricultural Show, and the Society.
“That is why the Society is in the position it is today,” Scott told a gathering of around 50 people.
Scott noted the efforts of committee member Peter Moore in supporting the continual maintenance of the grounds and buildings. Staff member Xolani Mkrakra had been promoted to grounds supervisor.
Among the other significant factors in the fortunes of the Society in the past year had been the success of the Show’s inaugural goat auction, organized by Pieter FOuche; the change in the showgrounds layout which had eased congestion and created extra pasrking; the resurgence of the art and home & garden sections of the show.
It was not quite goodbye to Chrissie Craddock, who has served on the committee, most recently as vice president, for the past 12 yeaqrs. Craddock was made noroary life vice president of the society and will continue her involvement, although scale it down.
With the highly contageous foot and mouth disease present in other parts of the province, the Bathurst Agricultural Show will be extended by one day to allow for veterinarians to check all animals coming onto the grounds and confirm the paperwork.
This along with new electric fencing (at a cost of R170K) to prevent stray animals entering the grounds, and strict control of vehicles entering the grounds will make it possible for the show to bring cattle and small stock on to the grounds.
Show patrons will walk across disinfecting mats at every entrance to the showgrounds.
“It means we can be accredited as biosecure by Agri EC,” Scott said.
The dates for the 2025 Bathurst Agricultural Show are April 3-6.
The new committee elected comprises Neil Scott (president), Bev Cockroft (vice president), Nick van Rensburg (treasurer), Bev Moore, Pieter Fouche and Peter Moore.
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, October 31, 2024. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
