By Margaret Lester

The 2026 Berry Show attracted competitors, exhibitors and crowds of people from far and wide to the Berry Showground on a very hot Saturday last weekend.

Many were dressed in western gear, obviously coming from the Western Districts of NSW.

The gigantic horse transport trucks, floats and caravans filled the eastern side of the showground while laughter and screams could be heard coming from patrons enjoying the rides and games in Sideshow Alley over in the west.

This year’s Berry Show Committee and volunteers produced a fantastic show.

A relaxed, happy, friendly and exciting atmosphere was in abundance as people caught up with old friends and reminisced over past shows.

There was something for everyone. The Berry Rotary and the Show Society provided high quality food options and the hot day ensured ice cream and cold drink vendors were kept busy.

Photo: Margaret Lester

The Hawkesbury Working Kelpies display had a huge crowd watching this very intelligent Australian working dog breed at work – moving sheep on command, pushing sheep up a race and barking on the simple command of “speak”.

It was like a scene from the ABC’s Muster Dogs program.

Mittagong’s Frensham Girls School brought its cattle to the Berry Show for judging.

Future champions were seen competing in the junior woodchop event which at first looked dangerous but it was soon evident they had developed great skills.

The Exhibition Pavilion, which in the distant past was like entering an oven on hot days in Berry, was now fully air-conditioned and provided great relief from the heat outside for Show patrons to enjoy the entries on display - the artwork, the amazing photography, the delicious baking and the beautiful flowers.

The Animal Nursery was a delight for children, especially those not familiar with seeing and actually patting kid goats, lambs and donkeys.

Photo: Margaret Lester

The Poultry Shed was noisy and it wasn’t just the ducks, chickens, roosters, turkeys and geese quacking, clucking and crowing at the top of their voices.

Adults and children alike were talking poultry – chook chook, cock a doodle do and quack, quack echoed through the shed.

Horse trainer Guy McLean is a true “horse whisperer.” A huge crowd watched in silence as he worked his horses and then cheered loudly in appreciation of his skills.

At one stage Guy was mounted on his horse, had hold of two horses and then asked another horse to sit down. He proceeded to walk sideways over the sitting horse with two horses and amazingly the horse sitting down didn’t move an inch and only stood up when Guy asked him to do so.

To finish his display, Guy gave a beautiful rendition of his own poem, “My Promise to You”, the you he said could be his horse, his wife or whoever. Many found this quite emotional.

Finally, Guy generously allowed his audience to pat his horses which brought not only smiles but tears to some. Yes, a true horse whisperer had come to the Berry Show.