Country Shows 2008

I have recently competed at Orange, Wellington and Dubbo Ag Shows and i am very dissapointed to see that the Numbers of Hacks Galloways and Ponies is down compared to recent years.
Has the EI affected these shows more than we thought.
I was ready and raring to go but it seems alot of the usual competitors were absent.
Anyone else got any thoughts.......
Maybe the cost of fuel has turned people away or have alot of people realised a life beyond horses during the EI?
D.