In July 1822 at a public meeting of settlers, the Agricultural Society of NSW was established to raise the standards in animal husbandry and agriculture by annual competitions and education, and to import superior breeding stock from England. With beginnings that date back to the establishment of the colony of NSW, the RAS boasts a rich history that not only helped to shape the agricultural and pastoral industries in this country but also influenced the development of NSW.

The first Show was held at Parramatta. William Bull, a servant, receives cash prizes for good conduct and faithful service. Women servants were not judged until 1825.

On the 10 acre plot, the display included 80 head of blood stock, stallions, hacks and ponies, 130 head of cattle, 43 pens of sheep, a few pigs and dogs and a motley collection of poultry.

A cargo of 3 Durham heifers and a bull, 5 Devonshire heifers and a bull and 48 Merino ewes and a ram arrived, bought with £1100 sent to England by the Society.

Cash prizes which tended to encourage "intoxication and other excesses" were replaced by medals of silver and gold.

The 4 day affair was held at the Clevedon paddocks, afterwards known as Prince Alfred Park. The attendance was 37,350 people. Prizes valued at £634 were offered for livestock, farm produce, wines, horticulture, poultry, manures, farm machinery and "articles of colonial manufacture." A special feature was a fine arts exhibition designed to "improve taste and develop artistic faculty."

The idea of exhibiting by district started when 3 courts of the Prince Alfred Exhibition were set aside for joint exhibitors from country Show societies. In 1888 a competition was held for the best collection of farm produce. 1899 saw the first District Societies Competition at the Show.

Down to its last £71, the Society took a gamble on 16 hectares of common land at Moore Park. The site was worth very little being "a desert of rocks and swamps" with some holes 15ft deep.

The opening was postponed after 356mm of rain fell in the 9 days leading up to the scheduled opening. The State Government built a loopline to the grounds for the new steam tramway. Ring events included horse jumping, trotting races, sheep dog trials and bicycle races.

A single cheese entry was received. Because the Show catalogue reports that two cheeses were judged, it was rumoured that the one entry was cut in half to make it possible for a winner to be selected.

Professor Scott's Fiery Feast of Fireworks appeared over 4 nights.

The first grandstand was erected to seat 800 people.

The Society advertised for people to run sideshows. Many of the early booths were run by confidence tricksters known as Eely Whackers who use 3 card tricks to swindle the public. By 1902 the trickmen were banned.

The first competition was held to display fresh and preserved fruit. By 1907 there was a special pavilion for women's work which included quilts, doilies and even a green toilet seat cover. Commercial items on Show included new brooms, with claims that they were products "women dearly love". In 1915 the section was renamed "Women's Industries" and men & manufacturers were prohibited from entering.

Queen Victoria granted permission to use the prefix "Royal".

The Show could open in the evenings. Complete electrification of the grounds was completed in 1916.

The Show's first woodchopping event was held in a paddock that doubled as a cattle judging ring.

Anthony Hordern erected the first permanent supplies building to allow country visitors to shop without leaving the Show. In 1924 it was replaced by the Banquet Hall at Moore Park.

The car built by H Thompson of Victoria, gave several exhibitions. It was driven by steam generated in a boiler by kerosene burners. Prizes had been awarded for the best motor cars and cycles since 1897.

While the Society hesitated, it was decided that "the Show must go on". Vendors of patent medicine and disinfectant made the most of the situation, selling gallons of infusions and thousands of pills. In Sydney, the plague caused the deaths of 113 people.

It was noted that business was slack except where there was an opportunity to receive a free product sample, even if it was not particularly useful. Soon after, companies started placing samples of products in labelled bags.

1901 marked the year of Australia's Federation. The first mechanical ride was part of the first automobile exhibition where 2 "carriages" were sent around at an "exhilarating" 30 miles per hour.

A Wine Kiosk was built, one of the earliest permanent buildings at Moore Park. The large number of wine entries were no doubt encouraged by the £100 prize. The total attendance at the Show was over 200,000 people.

Skylark suffered a heart attack after winning the water jump with a massive 29 ft leap. On returning to his stall, he dropped dead. The Society Secretary had Skylark buried under the Main Arena, at Moore Park where he had had so many victories and had given so much pleasure.

The first parade of the Show's prize-winning livestock was staged.

This year marked the first Commonwealth Championships for woodchopping and sawing. It was not unusual for a competitor to be so drunk that he could not stand on his log.

As there were no social services, hundreds of unemployed men who were desperate for money, hoped to lead a cow from the dock to Showgrounds for a few shillings. One night the men that missed out formed a blockade, which in turn caused a cattle stampede.

William Hart flew from Penrith and landed in the grounds of Moore Park.

Displays included the Path Home cinema photographer, insecticides, Australian made furniture, household appliances, travel agency exhibits & typewriters.

In 1914 this stand was described as being surrounded by people sampling cups of chocolate which were served by a number of young women attired in spotless white.

Mrs Stace set an unbroken side saddle Showjumping record of 6 ft, 6 in.

Mrs Pelloe rode more than 600 miles from Mildura to Sydney on a grey horse to attend the Show.

Wheat crops were judged on the farms encouraging farmers to develop efficient production.

The Government banned public assemblies in an attempt to stop the spread of an influenza epidemic after 848 deaths were recorded in Australia during 1918. The  Showground at Moore Park and its larger buildings became an emergency hospital for up to 500 patients at a time. The Royal Hall of Industries served as a morgue.

The first appearance of Sideshow Alley. Early attractions included the "Tallest Man" at 8ft 6in, the "Handcuff King", the "Marvellous Giantess" and the "Pinhead Chinaman" whose head was only as big as an orange. His reported weight varied anywhere from 15 to 48lbs. Later Shows see the "Strongest Man in the World", sword swallowers and lady boxers. The last recorded "Fat Lady", Nellie, appeared at the Show in 1947.

50,000 people stayed till 12.45am to watch Weir's Dungog ridden by Chittick jump 7ft 10in. They then had to walk home as public transport ceased at midnight.

Rodeo stars from America provided entertainment at the Show.

The Show was part of the celebrations with the Grand Parade of livestock forming the shape of the Harbour Bridge.

The entertainment included a team of Cossack riders displaying their horsemanship and 2 full blood American Indians from Oklahoma called Iron Eyes and High Eagle.

The commercial exhibitors included Arnotts, Wills Cigarettes, P&O Company, Tooheys, Cadbury, Kraft Cheese, Nestles, Vincents Headache Powders, Yardleys, Westinghouse along with Nugget and Kiwi Polishes.

For the first time the Show's front gates had to be temporarily closed in the face of up to 7,000 people who had queued to see amongst other things, the Military Gymkhana. Police were called in to create a human blockade.

Junior judging of cattle was introduced and soon expanded to all other sections. The Show saw a total of 14,392 entries, including over 4,000 horses and 1,300 cattle.

During unloading at Darling Harbour, steers escaped the docks. Two American cowboys who were appearing at the Show gave chase in a taxi and captured one runaway with a lasso thrown from the taxi's running board.

Quote from the Flea Trainer "Only the blue bloods of the flea kingdom are used for training purposes, the common or garden variety being totally unsuitable. These ones were imported from South America... The Flea Circus at the Show is now a thoroughly refined and educated company."

With over 2,000 entries, the display of dogs was certainly the most popular, with crowds filling the aisles to catch a glimpse of the canine exhibits.

Women made up almost one third of the 11,000 exhibitors and were represented in the entertainment arena by daring cowgirls. Miss Cargill was the first woman to appear at the cattle sales, appearing on the rostrum and bidding for stock. At the same time, a journalist for the 'Labour Daily' reported "one day at the Royal Easter Show was suffice to convince me that household drudgery will soon be a thing of the past".

Newspapers advertised sideshow attractions including the giantess, Princess Pontus who stood 8ft 2in and New Zealander "Bonny Peter Fat Boy" who at 15 years old, was 6ft 2in and weighed 40 stone. Animals included the "Smallest Racehorse" from South America, a tiny 23.5in high and the 4ft high pig from England, called Dinny.

The attendance figure broke the one million mark.

The ring was constructed and axes were standardised, having a 75cm handle and single bladed head weighing 2 to 3 kilos. Shorts were banned in the woodchopping arena.

The army took over the Showground at Moore Park for the duration of the Second World War. Some 700,000 troops passed through the grounds during this period.

The ferris wheel was the scene of much romance. Over the years at least one known marriage proposal was made here

The Show returned and an attendance record was set. At the time, Sydney's total population was only 1,549,590.

Young Stanley Steele of Randwick liked the Show so much he played truant and stayed for a week. He earnt his keep by selling empty bottles.

For the first time, not one Clydesdale stallion was exhibited and only 3 mares were entered, yet numbers of other horses totalled 1,400. Just 20 years earlier it took all day to judge the Clydesdale events.

An escaped steer dashed into the RAS President's room, scattering tables and chairs. The incident was cheered by crowds in the ringside stands.

Her Majesty the Queen addressed 100,000 school children at the Show.

Reflecting public opinion, freak Shows and animals in captivity were banned from Sideshow Alley.

Men were entering embroidery, cookery, leatherwork and tapestry competitions. Much of the work was by Returned Servicemen who learnt crafts in convalescent hospitals during and after the Second World War.

Newspapers described the display as featuring "laces and embroideries of women migrants from central Europe, wood and beaten metal jewellery by migrants from Greece, toys made by Czechoslovak women".

The annual Shell Journalist Tours inaugurated taking the form of an organised visit to a selected region. Apart from generating publicity leading up to the Show, it helped familiarise journalists with the progress of the man on the land.

The very earliest Shows in the 1890's included exhibitions of paintings and photography. These events were re-introduced.

1962 marked the introduction of the Miss Showgirl Competition.

A group of wool men from the central and western districts got together and at the end of the night, shared their last beer can, signed it and kept it as a momento. This was the origin of the coveted Beer Can Trophy which was awarded to the highest overall point scorer in the wool division.

The Rocket Man, his belt charged with hydrogen peroxide, began a soaring flight across the Showground and delivered a letter to the then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies.

A dancer in Graeme Bell and His All Stars, who was known on the nightclub scene as "Big Pretzel", lost her brassiere climbing the Showboat ladder. There was a roar of appreciation from the crowd and horrified gasps from the more staid RAS Councillors.

In 1970 the Show included some dozen commercial and trade exhibitions, 25 speedway meetings, several horse and pony Shows, seven dog Shows and a number of concerts and events. In 1971 the Holden team made their first appearance at the Show driving the HT Monaros.

Mannie McCarthy (born 1902) was recognised for his axemanship. He was still chopping at the age of 77.

The heaviest pumpkin set a Show record of 228kg.

In August the relocation to Homebush Bay was confirmed by the NSW Government. The Moore Park site went on to be redeveloped as facilities for Fox Studios Australia.

The Sydney Royal Easter Show says farewell to Moore Park after 115 years.

At the first Show at the new Sydney Showground site at Homebush Bay 1,262,339 people attended, breaking the attendance of 1.23 million set in 1947.

Apart from being the home of the Sydney Royal Easter Show, the Sydney Showground, constructed at a cost of $300 million, the venue was designed to host competitions for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Robosaurus make his first appearance at the Sydney Showground at Homebush Bay. This fire breathing mechanical monster breaths tongues of fire, rips and tears cars with his stainless steel teeth before tossing the mangled remains to the ground. A fine example of engineering excellence and computer technology, Robosaurus stands seven metres tall and weighs over 30 tons.

The Show celebrated 100 years of woodchopping competitions. For the first time at the Sydney Showground, Homebush Bay, one of the test series events between the best axeman from Australia and New Zealand was staged in the Main Arena.

Branding the 2000 Sydney Royal Easter Show as "The Great Australian Muster" gave the Show a fresh identity and enforced it as a uniquely Australian event.

Pounding hooves and the cracking of stockwhips echoed through the Main Arena, night after night to the resounding cheers and standing ovations from the crowds gathered to watch "The Man From Snowy River Spectacular". The jewel of the entertainment program, the ambitious production staged by the RAS, touched the hearts of city and country folk alike. All the stockmen who performed in the production were locals with no previous acting experience who managed to recreate the classic AB (Banjo) Paterson poem in spectacular fashion.

The Showground was an Olympic Venue for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in September/October 2000. The Olympic sports of basketball, volleyball, badminton, rhythmic gymnastics, baseball, handball and modern pentathlon were conducted on the Showground. The venue was also utilised for a number of Paralympic sports: powerlifting, boccia, fencing, wheelchair rugby, basketball, judo, goalball and volleyball.

In addition, over 5,000 print journalists and support staff worked during the Games in the Cattle and Horse Pavilions, and the Games' major sponsors hosted their clients and invited guests in hospitality suites within the Showground precinct.

The "Man From Snowy River Returns" again captivated city and country audiences alike in the Main Arena each night. The extended re-enactment of the classic poem was part of a 90 minute spectacular "Celebrate Australia" production, which included a moving tribute to the Centenary of Federation.

Show-goers were treated to a slice of Australian history each night in the Main Arena with the theatrical production of NED - The Legend of Ned Kelly. Developed especially for the 2002 Show, the production included powerful scenes of bushranging, horse stealing and the dramatic last stand at the Glenrowan Inn.

A rousing story that highlighted the achievments of women on the land, proving that courage tenacity and horse-riding skills are every bit as evident among the gals of the bush as they were with the blokes.

These four-legged athletes took Sydney by storm when they made their debut at the 2003 Show. Led by showmen, Tom and Michael Vandeleur, these small pink pigs delighted Show-goers both young and old.

75 years and still going strong, Rodeo was a huge success at the 2006 Show. Showgoers also enjoyed the brand new live music venue, The Shed which played host to Australian music greats such as The Whitlams and Alex Lloyd. Close to 920,000 visitors came through the gates and with only half a rainy day, the 2006 Show presented the best of Sydney and Australia.

The Show continues to be the biggest event held in the Southern Hemisphere injecting over $450m into the NSW economy.
Highlights included The Dairy Farmers Farmyard Nursery where you could roam amongst the farm animals, Xtreme Korruption exciting and amazing the crowds in the NAB Arena along with all the annual favourites includings carnival and Showbags.

Going to the Show by Anne Cooke
The Grand Parade by Brian Fletcher
The Showies by Bob Morgan
Sydney Australia Insight Series , Vol 3
Newspaper clippings