Winter Fair passes the baton

Mr Modra said as founders of the event, it wasn’t easy to say goodbye but the time had come.

“We are all running our own farms, not getting any younger and we are all tired — however we are filled with pride as we look back on what we have achieved,” he said.

Over a 12-year period the committee held 11 shows (one was cancelled due to COVID-19) — not bad for an event that was initially started as a one-off.

“The VWF began as a simple idea during a casual evening over a meal and a few beers,” Mr Modra said.

“It started as a light-hearted conversation to create something special for our industry and was intended to be a one-off event, but as often happens with great ideas, the industry had other plans.”

The committee always believed there was room in the show calendar for a winter event and hosting it in the school holidays enabled them to get the kids involved and run a great youth show as well.

Participation had grown to the point where over the past two shows, the committee hosted the biggest youth events ever.

Mr Modra said the fair really did grow beyond anything they could have ever imagined.

“We built the show up from nothing and we were very proud when it became an integral part of the show calendar.

“It is pretty easy for us to take credit but from the very beginning, we were always well supported right across the industry from farmers to exhibitors and sponsors, and our success can be very much attributed to that support.”

He said having the ability to attract top judges from around the world, along with the best in Australia, was another source of pride.

While they always worked together as a team, Mr Modra said there was always one person in charge.

“Clare was always the driving force behind it all really — Adam, Russ and I just did the heavy lifting while Clare was always driving the bus.”

Mr Modra said while there have been many memorable moments over the years, he said the one standout has always been consistency of the amazing quality of cows on show.

“The Victorian Winter Fair has been a labour of love, and it’s something we will always hold close to our hearts.

“As we pass on the responsibility to new owners, we are confident that the VWF will continue to flourish in the years to come.

“We’ve seen the passion and commitment that the team from IDW brings to the table, and we have no doubt that they will take the show to new heights.

“We wish them nothing but success and are excited to see where they take the event in the future.”

Mr Modra said the committee expressed its deepest thanks to everyone who has supported the event over the years.

“We’ll be cheering on the next chapter from the sidelines, filled with pride for what we’ve built together.”