AgShows NSW has welcomed its newest president in Peter Gooch of Kangaroo Valley in the southern highlands, and announced the appointment of a new vice president in Jody Nelson-Gleeson of Camden Haven on the mid north coast joining continuing vice president Jill Chapman of Hay in western NSW.
The ASC of NSW has been in operation since 1929 and is the parent body of 192 show societies in the state.
Outgoing president Tim Capp said Mr Gooch has a lifelong passion for the formative role ag shows play in people's lives, agriculture and community.
"Peter's involvement with agricultural shows began through his mother's family who had poultry farms in Sydney," Mr Capp said.
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"His grandfather instilled in him a lifelong interest in poultry showing, breeding and judging, starting in 1966 at Castle Hill Show where he later served as president for a decade.
"Peter joined AgShows NSW 12 years ago and serves today as president of the Cumberland Group.
"During those two decades, he has chaired numerous committees including commercial, the Young Woman and Rural Achiever competitions, and our education portfolio."
"Today he is a licenced Waratah flower grower and is vice president of the Exhibition Poultry Association of NSW, vice president of the Bantam Club of NSW and on the management committee of Castle Hill Show."
The new president said that while there was much to celebrate in the thriving show movement, there was challenges threatening shows too.
"Our role is to leverage the enthusiasm and energy displayed by our young judges, show young women entrants, and rural ambassadors at the recent state and national finals of both competitions," Mr Gooch said.
"We will continue to support the success achieved by the running of many of our ag shows since COVID-19 cancellation and ensure the full utilisation of many of the new facilities both federal and state governments have provided, through their recent grants to our showgrounds."
Mr Gooch said his focus is to secure the future tenure for about 160 odd showgrounds that sit on crown land.
"My recent experiences in dealing with the Department of Lands and some of the show societies who have become casualties of the inaction of Crown Lands have given me great concern for those shows," he said.
"Dealings with councils who are the crown land managers coupled with the new Crown Lands Management Act of 2016, leaves a lot to be desired."
He said that the continued succession of younger people filling the executive roles at local shows and becoming delegates within AgShows NSW is important for the future. So, too, the continued embracement of technology and innovation in shows, agriculture, and education.
"That agricultural shows have survived through recent years, in a much more complex world than when they first began is a testament to their enduring relevance," Mr Gooch said.
"I'm driven to ensure that through shows our sense of community, together with the expression of people's hobbies, recreational and commercial activities still flourish 10 years from now."
Jill Chapman will continue on as vice president, with Jody Nelson-Gleeson newly appointed to the second vice president role.
Mrs Chapman and husband Geoff moved to western NSW in 1985 where they raised their four daughters on their 20,000-acre pastoral property south of Hay.
In 2008 through to 2018 Jill held the position of President of Hay Show Society and is currently vice president.
She has represented her show at regional level and is in her fourth term as President of Group 9. Mrs Chapman has been a director with the Agricultural Societies Council of NSW since February 2016 and during that time has been chair of Commercial, Young Woman/Showgirl, Rural Achiever and now Education committee.
Jody Nelson-Gleeson brings a wealth of experience having previously been involved in the development of papers, policies and procedures for several boards and subcommittees.
Ms Nelson-Gleeson has also been a director, secretary, and treasurer of local community organisations in a voluntary capacity, with particular involvement in agricultural shows, sporting events, resilience development, local government, and the emergency services sector.