Today, Saturday 7 June, the Gulargambone Show 2025 will be having a shot at their first Long Weekend event.

The Show Society will squeeze plenty of action into their one day program and there's a new angle to many of the usual competitions.

Classic cars on show

"This year we're welcoming the Coonamble Auto Club members for the first time," said Show Society member Angus Patrick.

"We expect about six or eight classic vehicles to be on show for people to look at and talk about.

"Anyone who has a car and would like to bring it along is also very welcome. They're great conversation starters."

Yard Dog Trials

The super popular Gular Yard Dog Trials will be running for the second time with the Show.

"We have Junior, Local, Encouragement, Novice, Maiden and Open events," said steward Matilda Taylor.

"We're affiliated with NSW Yard Dogs so we're part of their overall competition and run on their rules.

"This year we've also started a Castlereagh Area Challenge between seven local trial venues involving places like Tooraweenah, Baradine and Mendooran.

"So competing in Gular you can earn points and we'll be having an overall winner by the end of the year."

Their day started at 7am.

"We' probably have around 100 runs for the day over the two arenas," Matilda said. "We had 108 last year so we're banking on it being around the same.

"We'll probably go right till sundown."

She says judges Adrian Newton, Ian Webber, Jake Varena and Scott Bridges are always helpful.

"They do give a lot of feedback, especially in the Encouragement, Local and Junior events," she said.

"It's a very, very supportive sport. Everyone who trials loves to answer questions."

The organisers will also be running a Working Dog School on Sunday.

"We're doing it while we've got the yards set up," said Matilda. "It will be really good for local people, even those who don't want to go into competition, just teaching them how to use their dogs and improve their efficiency on their farm."

Fancy dress for horses

In the horse events, there'll be three rings running - for hacks, galloways and ponies - and first-time steward Georgie Kelly says there's some extra fun in store.

"We've introduced a new fancy dress competition for the pony ring," she said. "It's a dress-up for horse and rider so it will be fun to see what people come up with.

"Coonamble Shire Council have just mowed our arenas and it's all looking lovely and lush."

Cleve Olsen shows how it's done at the Gulargambone Show 2024.

Livestock and local participation

Spectators can also get up close to the action in the cattle and sheep classes.

Gulargambone's Junior Judging competition always attracts a strong contingent of regional youth, from primary school to 24 years, all keen to hone their observation and explanation skills while aiming for a share of the $500 in prizes.

The Pavilion will have a feast for the eyes and keen competition for prizes in the photography, art, baking, handicrafts and vegie-growing sections.

Sports Shear + Speed Shear

Woodchopping demonstrations run throughout the day and one of the crowd favourites is the Sportshear competition organised by Steve Mudford.

Gular has one of the best viewing arrangements with spectators seated out of the wind and weather while shearers battle it out on the raised shearing platform.

Two competitions will run today.

Sports Shear starts at 9am with the finals at around 4.30pm and presentations including the Brian Mudford Memorial Trophy.

Tim McKenzie in the Sports Shear 2024.

Gular is second off the rank in the new year of competition in the NSW Sports Shear circuit, so some of the state's top shearers will be keen to get points on the board early.

Around 40 shearers will compete across four different grades.

This year, between the semi-finals and the finals of the Sports Shear, at around 3pm a Speed Shear competition will also be held with the Willy Redington Memorial Trophy up for grabs.

"Speed Shear is slightly different," says organiser Steve Mudford. "It's more crowd spectacle based on speed and quality.

"The Sports Shear is more of a clean shear or 'show shear'."

Prize purse this year is $5000 in the Sports Shear and $3500 in the Speed Shear, with $2000 going to the winner in each.

All up, the competitors will likely shear around 400 sheep on the day, all of which are supplied by Brian Mudford's parents Noel and Norma.

The Show Society will make all ages welcome with some sideshow rides, morning tea, a bar and barbecue, and market stalls.

Head to Gulargambone Showground today for the Gulargambone Show 2025.