A handy 6mm of rain dampened down any dust at the Blackall Showgrounds for the annual Barcoo Pastoral Society show but it also brought less spectators along for the morning events.
Motorbike gymkhana events were the first casualty of the mud, cancelled on Saturday morning for safety's sake, and some horse gymkhana events were also called off.
Show president Hugh Macdonald said the crowd began rolling in at lunchtime when the clouds rolled away, with 90 sitting down for a gourmet luncheon provided by the parents of St Joseph's School, and the announcement of Blackall's first Miss Showgirl in 12 years.
The title went to Blackall governess Zoe Barron, who moved to the community this year after other teaching work in the Innaminka region.
Barron Agencies administration officer Erin Yore, originally from Aramac, was the runner-up.
The Miss Showgirl event was placed back on Blackall's show calendar thanks to the initiative of Deb Hawkins, Susie Milson and Sharon Cuffe and they said they'd be working towards continuing it on in future now.
Mr Macdonald said women in western Queensland were a special breed that always put others before themselves, which may have been a factor in young women from the central and north-west sub-chamber winning the state award for the last two years in succession, when the region was deep in drought.
He acknowledged the presence of show patron Don Lloyd at lunch.
Mr Macdonald said all trade sites were full despite the rain and considering that, the seasonal conditions prior to March's rain and the many other Labor Day long weekend events, it had been a great day out, filled with local entertainment.
There was no stud sheep competition and cattle events were cancelled when it was ascertained that producers didn't feel they had enough show quality stock to present.
Five hardy wool producers - Blackall's Alison Krieg, Benalla, and the Macdonald family, Bloomfield, plus the Sanderson family from Westbourne, Tambo, Clark and Tait, Bimerah, Stonehenge, and the Chandler family, Oma, Isisford - provided 13 damp pens for the flock ewe competition.
Steward Megan Mohr said they had been hesitant to go ahead but people wanted to support it, which was greatly appreciated.
Bloomfield showed the champion pen of lambs and two-tooth and four-tooth ewes, while Benalla had the champion pen of older ewes, which went on to be the grand champion pen of ewes in the show.
It also showed the champion single ewe.
Westbourne showed the reserve pen in the older two classes.
Wool court steward Allister Macdonald said it had been another testing year for the wool industry in the central west, with 42 local fleeces coming in. The rest were sourced from around the region by Longreach Schute Bell representative Paul Grams.
Yaraka's John and Deb Karger, Isla Downs, showed the grand champion and reserve grand champion flock fleece.
Benalla had the best group of fleeces while John and Penny Taylor, Accord, Barcaldine took the flock division aggregate.
Blackall's Jaime Waterman received the classer's award.
Thanks to the Blackall-Tambo Regional Council there was free entry, and new sideshow entertainment sourced from Emerald.
Saturday's events followed a cocktail party on Friday night, attended by another 90 partygoers.
Horse section results:
- FM Evans Champion Led Exhibit was Margaret Schultz's Boorahloo Rhapsody.
- Armstrong Family Champion Galloway Hack was Amanda Compton riding Maison Park Merlin.
- Duneira Cup Champion Hack was Kristen Grant riding Professor.
- Grand Champion Local Hack was Rory Nicholls riding Dunelm Last Dance.
- Mrs MG Buddy Wagstaff Memorial Grand Champion Hack was Kristen Grant riding Professor.