President’s Message
Each year The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia joins with the community of WA to stage a celebration that acknowledges our achievements, particularly those of our primary producers and those who rely on them for their raw materials and commercial livelihoods.. The event, the biggest staged in the State each year, is the Perth Royal Show. It is both educational and entertaining. Nowadays the Show has a more important role than in the past as it provides an opportunity, particularly for younger urban dwelling Western Australians, to learn about the many aspects of our State’s agriculture from the pioneers who provided its foundation to the highly innovative science and technology that ensures that our producers are up there with the best in the World. Last year nearly 400,000 visitors were given the opportunity to interact with 10,000 animal exhibits, to Follow the Yellow Brick Road into the agricultural pavilions to taste free samples and carry out tasks that were both instructive and entertaining. Baby animals were all around the Showground and milking and shearing demonstrations showed how two of our important agricultural commodities were “harvested”. The fashion parade on the shearing stand displaying fine woollen garments demonstrated together the raw material and the value added final product. |  |
Each year the Perth Royal Show is very different. What surprises will unfold in 2010? The RAS will strive at each Show to create more interaction between producers and visitors, to give away more free samples of safe, healthy food and to provide information to help visitors understand more about the rural environment, the management of its resources and how to sustain them.
In 2010 the rural area around Northam, Toodyay and York will be our Guest Region and the Republic of Croatia will be our Guest Nation. The Croatian Community has a long and important history in WA, and this together with an exhibition of Croatian culture, arts, sport and cuisine will provide a most interesting and enjoyable addition to the Show.
The Show also has an important commercial aspect to it. Each year thousands enjoy new and scarier rides and visitors have almost 250 showbags to choose from. Also many of our exhibitors, who between them, submit 15,000 exhibits to be judged are hoping that a good result at the Perth Royal Show will give them an entrée into commercial success.
Our exhibitors are critical to the success of the Show. They come from far and wide and bring great diversity to the event. . They are commended for their efforts and I wish them all the best for success at this year’s Show and their commercial futures.
The 2010 Smoke Free Perth Royal Show relies on the efforts of many people including The RAS Councillors and staff, thousands of volunteers, our most supportive sponsors, highly professional judges and stewards. Their support is greatly appreciated.
The aim of The RAS is to highlight the State’s agricultural industries at the most important community event in WA. The success of our farmers goes a long way to making for a happy and successful Show.
I look forward to seeing you at the Show and most importantly wish all our producers an excellent season.
Tony Devitt
President
The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia