Demonstrations
Throughout the weekend there will be various demonstrations taking place. Some of these demonstrations will be continuous and others have set times. Times for the demonstrations will be listed in the programme at the Field Days.
Carlton United Brewery Clydesdale team will be at the show grounds all weekend and when they aren’t performing or charging through Gatton in full regalia the dedicated team of men that maintain and work these magnificant horses will be demonstrating how to braid and present the horses and hold discussions on the origins of the Clydesdale breed.
6 Breed Displays: Clydesdales, Shires, Percherons, Australian Draught
Horses, Gypsy Horses and Frieisan will show case the individual breeds with members of each of these Societies available for questions.
Anita Scampton: On purebred Clydesdale Eucalypt Park Chieftan, will be performing freestyle dressage to music in the Arena.
Sahra Rose of Equine Excellence will be demonstrating liberty work and long reining.
Friesian free style dressage demonstration in the arena.
Craft Demonstrations: Continuous demonstrations of crafts associated with the Heavy Horse era can be found in the Main Pavilion behind the grandstand.
The Farriers: The Farriers will be once again hosting the Farriers World Cup during our Field Days. There will be 3 man teams of farriers from all over Australia and different parts of the world. See them make shoes and then shoe the heavies.
Blacksmith: Peter Embury of Victoria will be in the Blacksmith’s shop during the weekend demonstrating the techniques he uses.
Animal Nursery: An animal nursery will be on site all weekend, and is a joy for young and old alike.
Sheep Shearing Demonstrations.
Stage Coach rides:
For more that 70 years Cobb & Co. coaches and horses travelled over millions of miles of outback to provide a vital communication link for many isolated communities. With the starting of Cobb and Co. in the year of 1854, they thundered their way to the mining camps in Victoria at the peak of the gold rush days. After this they continued to run in parts of Australia for over seventy years. In Queensland they withstood the challenge of the motorcar, the railway and the aeroplane until the third decade of the 20th century. Cobb and Co. was not the first stage coach to travel over great land, but it is the one that most of us remember well. The call of the bugle is no longer heard in the outback and the thousands of coach horses have disappeared. The changing stations, stables and the coach factories have all very sadly been replaced with the service stations and car garages. The final run of Cobb and Co was in the year of 1924 when the curtain fell.
Situated on the old Cobb and Co route in Grandchester South East QLD is a settlement full of history and picturesque views. Located 76 kms west of Brisbane and 38 kms from Ipswich, Grandchester is a tiny settlement whose claims to fame are the Grandchester Railway Station which was constructed when the railway from Ipswich terminated at Grandchester and the marvellous Grandchester steam driven sawmill. Originally known as Bigges Camp, after the pioneering pastoralist Fredrick Bigges. Known in the Latin language as Bigges (Grand) and Camp (Chester) then became Grandchester.
Inspired by the true great Aussie outback history that Grandchester has to offer it has paved the way to this new venture. Day tours down the tree lined dirt roads allows the traveller to sit back and relax as the rattle of the chains and the sound of the hooves takes him back in time to the way it was.