THE Hawkesbury Show holds sweet memories for many locals, but for Jenny and Brian Caterson, 2017 will be a special year indeed.
Mrs Caterson (68) and Mr Caterson (69) have been on the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association (HDAA) committee - the organisation that puts on the Hawkesbury Show - for almost 50 years.
This year their grandson, 20-year-old Timothy McLaughlin, has joined the ranks, becoming the family’s first fifth-generation HDAA committee member, and one of three generations that will serve at the show.
When the Hawkesbury Show takes place at the Showgrounds from Friday, May 5 until Sunday, May 7, young Timothy will serve alongside his mother, Karen McLaughlin, and Mr and Mrs Caterson, joining a family legacy of committee members that spans over a century.
“Our family has been on the show committee since 1879,” Mrs Caterson told the Gazette.
“There was a break between ‘54 and ‘56, then my father-in-law went on [the committee]. Brian went on in ‘67, and our daughter went on when she was 21 - she’s 46 now. And Tim’s just gone on this year.
“Timothy is the fifth generation on Brian’s side, and the fourth generation on my side.”
Mr and Mrs Caterson grew up in the Hawkesbury, and met when they were students at Richmond High School. At the time, Mr Caterson’s father was on the HDAA committee, as was Mrs Caterson’s own father.
“Brian lived in the Hawkesbury all his life and I moved to the area in ‘61. I used to be in Junior Farmers - that’s where my interest started. They call it Young Farmers these days,” said Mrs Caterson.
“We got married in July ‘67, and Brian joined the committee at the annual general meeting in August that same year. And we’ve never missed a show since.”
The Catersons left the district in 1983, but still travel back from Medowie – near Newcastle – to be involved in the Hawkesbury Show every year.
“Brian is now a vice president on the committee, and has been since 1984. This will be his 49th show,” said Mrs Caterson.
“We’ve been there a long time. We’re part of the furniture!”
Visitors to this year’s show will find the members of the Caterson and McLaughlin clan in the horticulture section: “We take in the entries and set-up all the exhibits for the judging,” said Mrs Caterson.
“We all do the horticulture, and Karen’s in the fruit section. Tim and I will also set-up for the junior judging on the Saturday.
“We have a horticulture interest, but we also exhibit in the Ladies’ Auxiliary section - Brian does cross-stitching, and I do embroidery.”
Mrs Caterson said in her almost 50-year involvement with the HDAA, the show has become much larger, and the quality of the horticultural exhibits has come in leaps and bounds.
“It’s grown immensely, especially since they went on the new grounds in ‘83 - it’s unbelievable. There are so many people now. And the quality of the produce is unbelievable,” she said.
“People used to say they couldn’t afford to go to the Royal, but they’d save up to come to the Hawkesbury!”
Mrs Caterson said now the family is living up north, she wasn’t certain if there’d be a sixth generation family member to carry on the HDAA tradition. But in the meantime, Karen (Timothy’s mum) will be bringing along her two youngest daughters to act as “honorary stewards” at this year’s show.
- Hawkesbury City Chamber of Commerce is putting together a crew of volunteers for the Show. If you have four or five hours free on Friday 5, Saturday 6 or Sunday 7 May, and would like to volunteer your time, call Kerry Spindler on 0418 386 582.
