Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show Society Newsletter – July 2026
In this edition: 120th Show Review & Horsepower Rules, Young Leaders Shine, Big thanks to Sponsors & Volunteers, Video Competition and get your show merch horsepower t-shirt
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Something for everyone at the Show
From Hot Wheels, Monster Trucks, Aussie FMX Motocross, Vintage Speedway and the captivating Liberty Horse Show with wild brumbies and a massive Aussie flag circling the Nambour Showgrounds arena – the 2026 horsepower themed night show was a big success.
“The fireworks, mega petting zoo, record numbers of creative arts and crafts entries, quality locavore produce, Aerial Dancers, Wildlife Unleashed and amazing performances on the community and education stages also proved popular with the crowds.” stated Show President Rowan O’Hara.
“The overwhelming feedback we have had is that people absolutely loved the Show vibe in 2026. The feedback and support from our members and sponsors has blown us away, and we are now busy preparing for an even better show in 2027.” President Rowan O’Hara said.
By the way:
- Date Claimer – the next SunnyCoast Ag Show is June 11 -13, 2027.
- We just hit 10,000 SunnyCoast Show Facebook followers – are you one of them?
- Did you see the viral show clip with over 47,000 views since June 2026?
- Thank you to those who completed the post-show survey which indicated that despite some challenges, the 2026 show was one of the best ever (NB. we received 132 survey responses). If you would like more details on the survey email GM, Mark Paddenburg
A BIG thanks to our major sponsors:
Sunshine & Sons, Cricks Nambour – Foton, Butler McDermott Lawyers, ME Excavations, TISCA, Comlink, Spiral, Cordwell’s Concrete, Energex, Ringers Western, AI Compass, Seen Agency, BSA Live, Greg Grant Saddlery, Mitre 10, 24/7 Access, Spotlight, Whites IGA, Sunshine Coast Arts and Framing, Langs Building Supplies, Stihl, Nutworks, Nambour RSL, AI Compass and Showmens Guild of Australia
Future Leaders Shine at the Show
Following the judging process, The Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show Society is extremely proud to announce the 2026 Rural Ambassador and Showgirl winners:
 | Rural Ambassador – Liam Kment Liam is a successful TAFE student (Certificate 3: Education), Community Stage Show Announcer and committed volunteer, member of various community groups and he’s absolutely passionate about supporting local producers via the show and as an active leader of the local Nambour Markets (open every Thursday – make sure you say hello to Liam and the crew). |
 | Junior Rural Ambassador – Kody Coceancic Kody is a dedicated Burnside State High School student, active show volunteer, passionate ambassador for locally grown produce, he works part time in the retail sector, he participates in musicals and other local events i.e. school representative at he annual ANZAC dawn service. |
 | Senior Showgirl – Kayleigh McNeil Kayleigh is a student Occupational Therapist working at The Compass Institute and loves showing miniature horses and volunteering at the show. Kayleigh’s extended family are lucerne and seasonal produce farmers from the Lockyer Valley, giving her the opportunity to be directly involved in agriculture from a young age and this continues to drive her passion for the sector. |
 | Junior Showgirl – Catherine McGovern Catherine is a dairy farmhand at River Ridge Dairies, where she helps milk 250 cows each day, she is an active show volunteer, former girl guide who loves a challenge and enjoys working with machinery, connecting with the local community and also enjoys helping her parents with home renovations. |
The calibre of young people involved, from exhibitors to MCs, demonstrates that the future of our local show is in safe hands. All entrants met with some of the Show Management Committee and were provided with personal development training, including public speaking, event management, marketing, mentoring and access to unique behind the scenes opportunities during showtime as part of their VIP access over 12-14 June 2026.
The winners impressed the judges and will now represent the Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show at the Near North Coast Subchamber Finals in November 2026. These winners then progress to the Queensland Country Life Awards in Brisbane (at the Ekka) in 2027. Supported by our partners, Queensland Ag Shows and a range of industry sponsors, these Awards allow young people to actively promote Queensland, agriculture, rural communities and show societies as they develop their leadership skills. See the 2026 winners featured in the Sunshine Valley Gazette.
2026 Show Takes WishList Fundraising to new heights
The show’s ferris wheel run by Chipper from Chant Amusements played host to the highly successful MixFM WishList – Give Me 5 Sky High Cash Live broadcast event held in partnership with SCASS on Friday 12/6/2026 raised over $68,000 for sick kids on the coast – taking fundraising to new heights!
New Comlink & Spiral Partnership delivers dividends
2026 Show Patrons benefited from our new Comlink and Spiral partnership which allowed us to double the capacity of the free show shuttle buses connecting the show to a number of park and ride options around town. The dedicated buses also catered for people with disabilities and were able to bring patrons to the Nambour State College and to the Fergus Scott Building (via Crushers Gate).
Army of volunteers, contractors, competitors and entertainers power the show
Show President Rowan O’Hara paid tribute to the army of volunteers who made the show possible. “This year, our team of over 280 volunteers went above and beyond to make this show happen,” he said. “The same goes for the contractors, staff and the entertainers who didn’t stop – we could not put on such a successful show without them.”
Volunteers – Extra Muscle and Horsepower needed in 2027
To fill some gaps, we are looking for extra muscle to assist with the show set up and pack down phase – if that’s of interest, please email our GM, Mark Paddenburg or call him on 0455 551 014.
GM’s favourite quote & A-Z show challenge:
“The noblest art is that of making others happy.” — P.T. Barnum, an iconic 19th-century showman. The quote famously closes out the film adaptation, The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman, as a poignant reminder that shows, performances and artistry can serve a deeper purpose.
Did you see the A-Z word challenge of things to see at the show? Unfortunately the GM failed at X!
2027 Show Sponsors – we’re always looking to renew our existing sponsors and welcome new referrals too. If you have referrals please connect them with our GM, Mark Paddenburg or direct them to our partners and sponsors prospectus.
The 120th show celebration was a big success – thanks to all who attended, provided memorabilia, made presentations and helped set up for the Anniversary Celebration. Stories and fond memories were revised, we honoured our show pioneers and new connections were made. Approximately 120 attendees joined us for the celebrations from 2:00pm to 5:00pm on June 6, 2026.
Thank you Mayor Rosanna Natoli, Councillor David Law and Fiona Simpson for assisting with the official opening and great project leadership by Jenny McKay!
Thank you Sunshine Coast Council for sponsoring the 120 Anniversary event too.
Please see our 120 Show Anniversary Social Media (like and share) and here are some photos too:
Just one of the many letters of thanks we received from local Sunshine Coast Schools that participated in our 120 Year Anniversary – Student Video Challenge and won 120 free tickets for their school:
| Monday, 15 Jun 2026 Hi Mark & the SunnyCoast Show team, Now that the excitement of the day has settled, I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you and the entire Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show team for providing such a wonderful experience for our students. The day was an outstanding success. Our students had an absolutely fantastic time exploring the showgrounds, interacting with the animals, learning about agriculture, sustainability, local industries, and experiencing firsthand the journey from product to plate. The excitement on their faces throughout the day was wonderful to see (refer also to the show video we posted). Our teachers thoroughly enjoyed the experience as well. The organisation, variety of exhibits, and welcoming atmosphere made the day both enjoyable and highly educational for everyone involved. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity shown to our school through the tickets and for the support you provided throughout the planning process. Opportunities like this create meaningful learning experiences that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom. Please pass on our thanks to everyone involved in making the event such a success. We look forward to continuing our connection with the Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show in the future. Thank you again for your generosity, support, and commitment to providing such valuable opportunities for local students. Kind regards,  |
Thank you for you support,
Rowan O’Hara
President, Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show Society
