The Millicent Show Society is continually on the look-out for new attractions with shearing now the headline act on Friday night.
Off the back of last year’s successful event speed shearing return the Millicent show program and this year is anticipated to be bigger and better with another class up for contention.
It was introduced last minute when the long-running and popular motocross was cancelled.
Due to make a return this year the competitive motocross races were again cancelled for the second consecutive year.
However, all is not lost as the show society opens up the shed doors to the shearing pavilion for an evening of sweaty competition and entertainment.
There is a prize pool of more than $7000 across four categories.
Top prize is $2500 in the open category with $1000 for second place and $500 for third.
Senior prizes are $1000, $500 and $300.
Intermediate first three place getters prize pool $950, and novice prize pool is $500.
Vice president Colin Searle announced another category will amuse onlookers.
“We have the Shearer’s Iron Man Challenge,” he said.
The challenge involves teams of two battling it out to be the quickest, and hopefully not the sickest, shearing duo.
The novelty event includes contenders eating a dry weet-bix, drinking a warm lemonade, downing a raw egg and a meat pie, then rolling a hay bale before mounting a push bike.
Mr Searle said manpower will operate the shears.
“Two pushbikes attached to belts will power the shears,” he said.
One team member will pedal as fast as they can to enable their teammate to shear through one woolly sheep.
Online entries have closed however registrations will be taken on the night from 6.00pm, ready for 6.300pm start.
The audience is invited to stick around after the shearing when local classic rock cover band Incarnation take to the stage, performing rock anthems and pub favourites from the 70s, 80s and more.
A licenced bar area has been granted, however no alcohol is to be consumed outside the fenced boundary.
Cutting edge fun
Eager showgoers and competitors have been counting down the days until gates open for the 146th Millicent Show.
Among the line up of attractions held in conjunction with the Saturday program of events is the lawn mower racing.
Ride-on lawn mower races has gained in popularity among racers and competitors with this year marking its fifth consecutive year at Millicent.
The South Australian Lawn Mower Racing Association (SALMRA) was formed to grow and promote the sport of lawn mower racing in South Australia and in turn raise money for charity and local communities.
The Millicent round of the SALMRA racing calendar is the grand finale of the season and is a sight to be seen with spectators encouraged to get trackside to witness the fun.
Classes ranging from standard mowers all the way up to Super Modified mowers running 450cc motorbike engines.
SALMRA races are held throughout the year in small towns around the state, ranging from Cape Jervis to Morgan and Meningie, before coming to an end in Millicent.
They do not race for prize money, but for bragging rights, and most importantly, to have some fun and support small towns with proceeds from the day going back into the local community.
The family friendly sport starts with junior classes for youth as young as eight-years-old and adult classes.
Choice of mowers range from a standard mower with its deck removed all the way up to the super modified A class running 450cc motorbike engines.
Engines will start revving at noon on Saturday and continue until mid-afternoon.
Hands-on attraction
The Millicent showgrounds has been a hive of activity over the past two weeks in preparation for the 146th annual Millicent Show only days away.
The animal nursery is back and sure to delight animal lovers of all ages.
The regular menagerie of baby animals will be on view with the introduction of Bush Buddies from Penola joining the petting zoo.
Children can cuddle and feed baby rabbits, ponies, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducklings, kittens and lambs.
Daily bottle feeding of baby animals will take place multiple times per day with children invited to come along and help.
The animal nursery has teamed with South East Snake Awareness, to bring families an interactive learning experience.
The nursery will be open Friday from 12pm to 8pm, and on Saturday, 9am to 4pm.
Demolition derby thrills and spills
The long running and iconic demolition derby will bring the 146th Millicent Show to a close for another year.
The main arena will be the place to be on Saturday afternoon for spectators to witness the thrill of the smash and crash of scrap yard worthy vehicles.
Horses and riders will vacate the arena to allow for the main parade to take place immediately followed the demo derby.
Unique to the Millicent show, the Garner family has been hosting the event which is in its 24th consecutive year.
Jim Garner and his son Joe Garner and a big team of dedicated car enthusiasts gather together to give show supporters a visual spectacle watching how these guys like to have fun destroying the four-cylinder cars they have built especially for this event.
Standard road cars are stripped of glass and flammables then for driver safety roll cages are fitted.
There is no holding back in the action-packed destruction of the cars that takes place and has gained a name for itself being as an iconic drawcard at the Millicent show.
