Good weather, the return of the Grand Parade and a strong field of Showgirl contestants have helped ensure another successful Maitland Show on the weekend.
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Maitland Showground manager Brett Gleeson said he was ecstatic with how things went across the Friday, Saturday and Sunday event in what was his first show at the helm.
Mr Gleeson expressed concerns in the lead-up that expected heavy showers may have deterred families from going, but on Sunday he said the weather stayed kind and a preliminary count recorded about 15,000 people across the three days.
Related: Opening day at 2019 Maitland Show
"I probably couldn't ask for anything better for my first show," he said.
Mr Gleeson said Sunday attendance was about double last year's, while Saturday was on par and Friday was slightly down.
Only two events had to be cancelled - the boer goats due to the drought causing a lack of entries and the fence post splitting because the rain meant the logs couldn't be transported from Dungog.
The show officially kicked off on Friday night with Hayley Johns of Bolwarra Heights being crowned as Maitland Showgirl.
It's been a big few weeks for Ms Johns, who was also named the Maitland Young Citizen of the Year at the city's Australia Day celebrations.
The 21-year-old podiatry student, who has previously lived on a cattle property in Gloucester and was Gloucester Showgirl in 2018 and 2019, took out the 2020 Maitland Showgirl competition, which Mr Gleeson said involved a "very strong field" of six contestants.
Another highlight of the show was the return of the Grand Parade, which Mr Gleeson said had not featured in the show since 1997.
"By all reports it was very, very good," he said. "People really enjoyed it.
"We want to build on that for next year. We've already got some more interest."
The parade was led by the NSW Rural Fire Service after their mammoth effort battling fierce blazes across the state this summer.
"It was very fitting to have them in it," Mr Gleeson said. "There were about 20 of them and a couple of tankers."
The camel races were another major feature of the event. Mr Gleeson said there were five spots each in the auctioned race and the fixed price race, all of which were sold.
Other popular events included the D-Max demonstration and the rodeo.