The bulls were magnificent, the sheep were elegantly coiffed, the horses stepped out proudly and the main pavilion was simply filled to bursting with the best that the district could produce.
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However, it was the small, darkened poultry pavilion that contained some of the cutest and quirkiest entries in the Braidwood Show.
Congratulations to all the poultry exhibitors and especially to the winners:
S&S Murphy (Moruya): Old English Game Hen and Grand Champion
Jake Waters (Braidwood): exhibit, Coronation Sussex Hen, large softfeather champion
Sandra Moore (Majors Creek): exhibit, Orpington Hen, large softfeather Reserve Champion
Maureen Stachow (Majors Creek): exhibit, Bantam Pekin Hen champion
Angus and Molly McPhail (Braidwood): Poultry of any other variety, awarded the Moira Maddrell Special Encouragement Trophy.
No ordinary chooks, these ones.
Meanwhile, Braidwood CWA members think that Irene Dunkley is just embarking on a new career in jam-making.
In only her second year of entering her jams, pickles and preserves in the Braidwood Show, Mrs Dunkley picked up four 1st prizes, one second and one third.
She and her husband, John, used to live in Bungendore about 40 years ago, and Irene said she entered a jam in the Bungendore Show and won a first prize with it. Since then they've moved around the country a bit, living in Canberra and Binalong, and she's been making her pickles and preserves during all that time.
"We used to come to the Braidwood Show when we lived in Bungendore, because my daughters were involved in the equestrian events," she said, "and when we moved to Braidwood two years ago, we went to the show again. I'd never really thought about entering my work until last year.
"I thought it was a good idea to contribute, because if people don't contribute and don't enter, then there's not really much of a show, is there?"
Mrs Dunkley was very impressed with the range and quality of entries at this year's show and said that she thought there were more people attending than last year.
The Braidwood CWA contacted the Braidwood Times to offer the members' congratulations to Mrs Dunkley, who has been a CWA member for around 20 years, on her Show success. "It's a wonderful organisation," she said. "There's a great atmosphere."
Mrs Dunkley's next culinary challenge? "I'd like to have a go at preserving fruit in syrup," she said.
Look out, fruit preservers. There may be a new contender on the block.
