Royal Agricultural Society of NSW celebrates 200 years

The Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) of NSW is celebrating its 200^th anniversary this year and one of Brian's ancestors was there from the very start.

The 60-year-old Glen Innes farmer is descended from Captain John Piper on his mother's side. Captain Piper was a highly influential Sydneysider during the nation's colonial infancy and one of the society's founding members.

"Captain Piper owned a lot of land. He was the harbourmaster and he was great friends with Lachlan Macquarie. Everyone knew him," Brian said.

"He was the wealthiest man in the colony, but he was a pastoralist at heart."

Brian said Captain Piper and a range of other influential Sydney residents formed the RAS out of a desire to improve the quality of their agricultural output in a new and foreign land.

"A lot of the things they were trying weren't working because it was a different climate, with different soil."

He said the society's foundation members also discussed other ways to improve agricultural output, such as introducing experimental methods such as cross breeding - which was becoming increasingly popular in Europe.

In 1823 - one year after the formation of the RAS, the group hosted its first agricultural show in Parramatta.

"Everyone was pushing to improve livestock and showing and competing was the way to do that, I suppose."

Brian also represents the fifth generation in a long line of farmers on his father's side, dating back to his great great grandfather's arrival in the country from Germany in 1860.

Joining the Rural Youth organisation, Brian exhibited for the first time at the age of 10.

As a child and teenager he already had a big vegetable patch and would exhibit regularly at the Glen Innes show and occasionally at the Tenterfield show.

He joined both the Glen Innis Show Society and the Northern District Exhibit Council in 1980 and has played a big role in both the Glen Innes and Royal Easter shows ever since.

At the Glen Innes show he looked after the Merino sheep section for a number of years and performed a number of other roles, including being a regular exhibitor.

Brian has a particular aptitude for growing cucurbits - the family of vegetables which includes pumpkins, marrows, squash and trombone grammas.

He has exhibited at almost every Royal Easter Show since 1980 and won champion pumpkin of the show in two of the past four years (2019 and 2022).

Brian said it was hard to put into words what he loved so much about exhibiting.

"I guess it's the competitiveness of it, just to get the recognition that yours is the best," he said.

"Not everyone's a good shower."

He said the biggest ingredients to success were time and hard work.

"Your produce doesn't have to be world beating stuff, it's the preparation sometimes that will win you prizes. The uniformity of size, the freedom from blemish.

"You've got to look at the criteria and try to adhere to it. Showing is an art."

The Winter family farming legacy has now entered its sixth generation.

"All my children are involved now. I have three daughters and a son. My sons in law are also involved. It's really nice."

Key dates:

1822: Agricultural Society of NSW is formed

1823: Society's first show is held at Parramatta

1858: Classes for cheese and butter are introduced in the show prize schedule for the first time

1869: Show moves to Sydney (Prince Alfred Park) to increase attendance and exhibitors. Arts and Crafts make their first appearance at the Metropolitan Intercolonial Exhibition

1875: First schools competitions introduced to Metropolitan Intercolonial Exhibition

1876: Show societies are asked to mount produce displays. Displays would become a permanent fixture in 1900.

1899: Woodchopping competition begins

1900: First samples give rise to showbags

1901: First mechanical ride introduced

For more information on the Roayal Agricultural Society of NSW click here.