Sydney Royal Easter Show 2010

"What do you think we'll see at the Easter Show today?" asked one Mum of her kids on the train to the Easter Show.

"Um... dogs? And sheep? And um... pigeons!" came the contemplative but excited response.

But no mention of ducks, and yet these three ducks stole the show for everyone. They wobbled past Suze and I along the road - we thought they were toys or puppets at first, their long necks swaying this way and that - until the camera-snapping crowd behind them made us realise these were real ducks, in pret-a-porter!


The ducks work it, baby

What was also heartwarming to see was the sheepdog both guiding and guarding the ducks from the crowd. A few whistles from the owner was all that was required to guarantee their safe passage through the streets and the gaggle of giggling onlookers.


Sheepdog guarding the ducks


Fierce!

The Easter Show? It's all about the animals and the food. A chance for city slicker kids to marvel at working animals whilst wrinkling their noses at the smell of poo, tip-toeing gingerly around the flattened cow pats with looks of genuine horror.


Brown Swiss cow



Sleeping cow


How to tell the difference between a dairy cow and a beef cow

Our favourite area is always the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome - the home of samples and the District Exhibits. We always make a stop at the glass cabinets filled with the intricate and detailed cake decorating finalists too.


Cheese toasties at the Coon cheese stand


Extra tasty Coon cheese toasted sandwich $2

Always a queue but the cheesy goodness was worth it.


It's a Holey Cow!
The Central District Display


Art feeds the mind, farmers feed the future: Central District Display

We liked the humourous approach with corn-ed beef, oh-moo-let and cow-bernet sauvignon.


Spices from Le' Spice

It was also great to meet the folk behind Le' Spice who ran a Freebie Friday spice hamper competition on Grab Your Fork. Thanks for the samples, guys!


Le' Spice spice rubs


Winner of the Great Backyard Pumpkin Challenge
weighing 255kg


BBQ ribs

There seemed to be a lot more "real food" choices on offer this year, with noodles, ribs, roast chicken and dumplings available. Suze, on the other hand, only had eyes for one thing.


Cheese on a stick $4

Cheese on a stick is one of those things that's so wrong and yet so good. Admittedly I didn't indulge this year - but watching Suze eat her way through two of these (somehow we forgot to stop for a third) was enough for me! I could smell the greasy sweetness of the cake-like batter and the gooey strands of molten cheese stretched on forever once you hit the middle.


Twisted Fries $9

I had my eye on savoury treats instead. The queue for the Twisted Fries was long so it had developed a curve. A quick consultation on the iPhone confirmed our suspicions - the fries had gone up $1 in price since last year. I skipped the cheese sauce ($1 extra) which was rather runny and salty from memory, and slathered it with fat trailing dollops of tomato sauce instead.

We scooted into the main arena extra early for the 12.20pm Robosaurus show. It was just as well, as we didn't even realise that the Robosaurus was preceded by the Toyota V6 HiLux Heroes at 12.05pm and the Showtime Yamaha Freestyle Motox at 12.10pm. We scored seats right against the balustrade and the arena was packed by 11.45am.


Toyota V6 HiLux Heroes

I'm not a petrol head but even I couldn't help but marvel at the precision driving and the 180 degree flick handbrake turns, eventually succumbing to the primordial appeal of revving engines.

Watching the utes tailgate each other - two of them driving backwards - was pretty awesome too.





We liked the dance of the utes, like synchronised swimming with grunt. Check out the video above.


Showtime Yamaha Freestyle Motox display
Superman trick

The motorcross tricks that followed prompted plenty of gasps from the crowd.


Backflip 360

And is it an Easter Show experience without watching the woodchopping? It's much more fun if you try to pick the winner before they start - sometimes brawn doesn't always triumph!


Woodchopping




Devonshire tea at the CWA Tea Room $7

We made the mandatory stop at the CWA Tea Room for an afternoon tea of their famous scones. Handmade and baked all day by CWA volunteers, the scones are kept warm under teatowels, soft and fluffy pillows best slathered with jam and cream.


Mice and cheese

The cake decorating display is always a hive of activity -the entries get more and more detailed and intricate each year.


Peter Rabbit with produce from Mr McGregor's garden by Joan Belz


Rollerskates


Easter bunny by Handi Mulyana


Flowers and doily - yes, all made with icing


Siu mai and dumplings in a bamboo steamer by Joanne Ong


Alice in Wonderland by Anna Maria Roche


Facebook addict pills by Annie Lo

It was quite telling to watch anyone everyone under 40 laugh heartily over the facebook addict pills. One twenty-something male expressd outrage that Annie didn't win anything - "How could she not win anything? I bet the judges don't even know what facebook is!" he grumbled with indignation.


Backyard swimming pool by Joanne Ong (second prize)

I think the backyard swimming pool cake was my favourite because of all the details. I love the snorkel, the thongs and tennis ball by the ladder and the fact there's a dressed pavlova on the picnic table for dessert!


Helium balloons and the ferris wheel


The easiest way to carry your giant Scooby Doo


Baked potato $7.95

We found ourselves still at the Show at 7pm and because I'm a big kid, I convinced Suze to stay back for the final Robosaurus show. Because it's just too cool and we may as well!

So we sat through the Toyota V6 HiLux Heroes and the Yamaha Freestyle Motox displays again, although admittedly longer versions of these shows are held for the night sessions.


Robosaurus

And then more Robosaurus action. The darkness of the stadium made for a more threatening fire-breathing figure although the routine was much the same.


Robosaurus is hungry


Robosaurus finds his dinner






Robosaurus goes looking for dessert

Don't forget you can check out my photos and video of the daytime Robosaurus show on my post here.


Fireworks finale


Kaleidoscope colours of the amusement ride lights

The Sydney Royal Easter Show runs April 1-14, 2010 at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.

Grab Your Fork received a complimentary Show admission ticket courtesy of the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Related Grab Your Fork posts:
Sydney Royal Easter Show 2010: Robosaurus Pictures and Video

Sydney Royal Easter Show 2009: The Cakes and District Displays
Sydney Royal Easter Show 2009: The Racing and Diving Pigs

Sydney Royal Easter Show 2007: The Animals
Sydney Royal Easter Show 2007: The Cakes
Sydney Royal Easter Show 2007: The Food