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An historical event in the Clare Valley that attracts well over 4,000 people each year is the Clare Agricultural and Horticultural Society’s annual show.

Throughout the years, the Clare show has seen several faces attend and continues to be a great family day out.

But, it hasn’t always been known as the Clare A&H Society, the first committee called it the Stanley Agricultural and Horticultural Show Society and three years later the show’s name was changed to Clare.

The original site for the Clare Show was where the current Lutheran Church is sited then it moved to the current grounds, where each show has been successfully held since.

The show attracts entrants from throughout South Australia in cooking, crafts, horses-in-action, poultry and market stalls on side-show alley.

In its heyday the Clare Show attracted 5,000 exhibitors and more than 30,000 patrons.

In 2008 horses-in-action section was brought to a halt with the outbreak of Equine Influenza, but the following year they were back.

Mintaro farmer and mother of three Ingrid Smith was awarded the State Rural Ambassador award in 2008 and in 2009, with the help of Ingrid the Vine Trail was incorporated with the show.

Throughout the year’s Clare Show has been represented at all levels from cooking, trophy winners and rural ambassadors.

Jenny Parish of Leasingham, who has competed at the Clare Show and has also volunteered as a steward – one year deciding to take a shot at entering the local semi-final for the State Rich Fruit Cake Championships.

In 2002 she became the only person who has ever won South Australia’s two fiercely contested fruit cake competitions, these are the Genoa Fruit Cake and Rich Fruit Cake competition. She is well known in the cookery section at the Royal Adelaide Show and has won the aggregate there in 2006 and 2007 – Jenny is just part of the history of Clare Show.

Clare show is something not to miss, there is plenty to see and do for the whole family, whether it’s a free event or not it’s an affordable and enjoyable day out.