Silence of the lambs as revheads steal show

IT'S a minute before midday and thousands are pouring into the Easter Show's main arena for the lunchtime entertainment.

Families from rural NSW traditionally come to Sydney for the show at the long weekend and the Akubras and Driza-Bones give the event an authentic country feel.
But they haven't come to see a quaint parade of carts and horses. When the arena gates swing open, four souped-up utes and six motocross bikes roar out - their screams matched only by those from the packed grandstand.
Country life has changed and so has Sydney's country show.
Petrol-powered thrills have all but taken over. The main live entertainment drawcards are a revhead's heaven.
The grand parade still draws a sellout crowd, but has been upstaged by Xtreme Korruption - a one-hour show starring the Toyota V6 HiLux Heroes, the Bouncin' Bobcats, an extreme motocross team and a motorcycle high-wire act.
And it doesn't stop there. Sharing a shed with the steers and fillies are a hotrod display, a classic cars and bikes show and mountain bike stunt riders.
"I think the animals are always the No. 1 drawcard, but we're very conscious of trying to provide a broad range of entertainment for every age group and interest," the show's chief executive officer, Peter King, said.
"They provide the exhilaration with the noise and the speed. We give people the chance to get as close to the cars as they're going to get."
With two- and four-wheeled entertainment becoming more and more popular, show organisers are seeking to balancing the event's environmental impact through a range of measures, including a carbon offset scheme.
About 4500 tonnes - or 97 per cent - of all waste from last year's show was recycled, reused or turned into green power, including 10,800 litres of cooking oil.
The show will also participate in Earth Hour on March 29. "We're very aware of our carbon footprint," Mr King said.

WHAT'S ON

Pig judging

Ute display

Cats open championship

Horse challenge

Ladies international woodchopping relay

NSW rose championships

Man rides horse into hospital

A horse has trotted through a hospital, ridden by a man who wanted to visit his sick father.

Hospital officials at Wilcox Memorial Hospital in Lihue, Hawaii, said the man called the hospital this month and said he planned to ride his father's horse into the hospital, Honolulu news network KITV reported.
"He proceeded to take the horse up the elevator up to the nursing floor where he was met by security and our nurse supervisor," a hospital spokesman said.
The man, who appeared intoxicated at the time, posed for pictures with the horse and an off-duty nurse, KITV said.
"We do have a pet visitation policy, but it does not include a horse," said the spokesman. "Although it sounds funny, we don't want to compromise our visitor and our patient health care."
The horse was escorted from the building after the man's father said it wasn't his.
The hospital said it was looking for ways to improve security at the hospital.

Thanks

THANK YOU HORSE DEALS, YOU KEPT US INFORMED AND I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATFUL
FOR THAT.
Keep putting out that wonderful mag.
cheers
Sharon

Comment on Sanctuary for distressed donkeys

The donkey is actually quite a hardy animal if kept in a state that suits his natural origins ,as essentially a desert animal. One who needs sparse roughage for food, that he has to walk miles to browse upon.
Take him out of suitable surrounds without allowing for his needs,and he will be prone to ail from /no exercise /unsuitable food/too much of it/no natural wear on teeth from browsing etc and you will have potential for an ill aniaiml .They are also a very intelligent loya and hard working animal and those who do not find them so..probably do not understand donkeys and the donkey will respond acordingly. Studies on social structure feral herds of donkeys show they do not for instance,pair up ,Nor form herds like horses and be held by a jack-rather they move in and out of territory ,sometimes in small groups sometimes alone,as they need eg availabilty of feed/to be bred.The loud call and large ears is part of the desert adaptation of aniamls living distances apart.The fact is-most 'pet' donkeys get no training to be indepenadant and so become unnaturally dependant on each other just as horse would who have never been seperated..its a man made problem .Donkeys are great -in the right hands.

Comment on Paying tribute to pioneering donkey

The English & Irish Donkey Society Australia All Breeds coined the name and set up the register for the "Australian Teamster Donkey" in recognition of the historic links.The best of the Worlds donkeys came here-Very early on small donkeys from convenient posts on the shipping routes bit very quickly superior stock was brought out -including American Jackstock (still imported as late as 1935)and Andalusian and Maltese Jacks-all large breeds of over 14hh to 15hh and over.
At the time Governments from many countries were interested in breeding Mules for work and for Miliary use-hence the interest in breeding large breeds of donkeys.The donkeys used in outback teams ranged from about 12hh up to 14hh or so.