THIS year’s Hawkesbury Show will be opened by Channel 7 news presenter and journalist, Mark Ferguson, at 1pm on Saturday, May 6 in the main arena of the Showground.
Mr Ferguson was born and bred in the country – Parkes then Tamworth – and said he loved a good country show.
“This will be my first visit to the Hawkesbury Show and I’m really looking forward to it,” he told the Gazette.
“I think Hawkesbury offers Sydneysiders a real chance to see so many aspects of rural life up nice and close.”
Mr Ferguson said rural shows have a dual purpose of providing entertainment and giving city-dwellers a taste of what it’s like to live and work on the land.
“In this world of Twitter and Snapchat – I think it has never been more important for city families to get outdoors and know more about the vital role farmers and their families play in feeding the world,” he said.
Mr Ferguson has a farm in the Southern Tablelands where he runs sheep and cattle, “so I’m looking forward to checking out the cattle on Saturday – especially the Angus entries,” he said.
He said he also looked forward to seeing the sheep in the Grand Parade on Saturday