After missing a year due to Covid, the Swellendam Show returned from 3 to 5 March 2022 to reclaim its status as the oldest ongoing agricultural show in the southern hemisphere. The show celebrated its 190th birthday with its biggest event to date.

According to Suzaan Smit, president of the Swellendam Show, the town’s showgrounds were abuzz with more than 7 000 visitors enjoying the show’s agricultural programme, entertainment and lifestyle stalls.

“The biggest show we’ve had in the past had about 5 000 visitors, so this one really was a record event,” she told Suidernuus.

A comeback event of this size presented unique challenges, said Smit. While it normally takes a year to plan the show, organisers had to arrange this year’s event in less than two months. But returning after a year of absence it could not have gone better

“We had a lot of fun. Everyone was so enthusiastic,” Smit said. “Overall, we just went big with everything.”

The organisers were specifically grateful for the support from the local community that made the show possible.

“Our community is like one big family, so when we organise the show, everyone bands together,” she said. “We were concerned because we had to ask for sponsors a month and a half before the show, but they came through for us.”

Dr Ivan Meyer, Minister of Agriculture in the Western Cape, also attended and praised the organisers for a “wonderful show experience”.

“I hope and trust that the Swellendam Show will go from strength to strength in the years to come,” he wrote in a letter of appreciation.

Highlights from the weekend

The agricultural programme took centre stage this year, since the last show in 2020 had to cancel many of the livestock shows due to a national outbreak of foot-andmouth disease.

This year’s highlights included the Ayrshire National Championships and the Southern Cape Jersey Championships. The poultry and horse shows were also of a high standard, and the youth show was very popular among showgoers, according to Smit.

The show’s agricultural morning (or landbou-oggend) welcomed 180 guests and was the highlight event on the social programme. “I can’t remember the last time an event had so many of our farmers and agricultural businesses in attendance,” said Smit.

The morning was also a reminder of “the earnestness and passion of our farmers in the Western Cape and specifically in the Overberg region”, according to Meyer's letter to the organisers.

The show programme also featured cat and dog shows, a ladies’ breakfast, auctions and topquality vendor stalls. Showgoers appreciated the talents of the GB Batt Rieldansers and enjoyed musical performances, including the closing concert by Juan Boucher and Ricus Nel on Saturday evening. While the weekend’s dust is still settl ing in Swel lendam, the planning of next year’s show will soon kick off.

“You can always do better regarding the quality of the show,” said Smit. “We are aiming to improve again next year.”

Anri Matthee