Entering the Sydney Royal Easter Show

After breakfast on April 2, 2021, our family took a bus to Olympic Park, where the annual Sydney Royal Easter Show was being held. This event originated in 1823 to promote exchanges between urban and rural areas. During the show, there are displays of livestock such as horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs; poultry like chickens, ducks, and geese; pets such as cats and dogs; various fruits, vegetables, and flowering plants; as well as competitive performances like log cutting, motorcycle stunts, equestrian events, and fireworks. The variety is extensive and diverse. This year, Easter falls on April 4, and the Sydney Royal Easter Show runs from April 1 to 12.

Due to the surge in visitors heading to Olympic Park, many extra buses were added, some of which were driven by temporarily reassigned drivers who were not familiar with the route. The bus we took suddenly pulled over halfway, and the driver stepped out of his seat holding a map, telling the passengers he had taken the wrong way. Then a female passenger walked from the back to the driver, saying she knew the correct direction. The driver returned to his seat, and the woman navigated for him. Soon the bus turned left and right and got back on the right route. Throughout this, all passengers remained very calm; no one cursed or pulled at the driver, let alone grabbed the steering wheel. Everyone stayed quiet and sat silently, demonstrating the good public spirit and cultural refinement of Sydney citizens.

Entering Olympic Park, the first thing that caught our eyes was the children's amusement area, bustling with noise and excitement. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic had caused many inconveniences—gatherings were restricted and events had limited attendance. Now that the restrictions were lifted, people had broken free from the previous silence and were playing heartily. On this day, the number of visitors to Olympic Park reached sixty thousand, creating a dense, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd.

As we walked and looked around, we saw a large crowd gathered on a lawn next to the amusement area, with a flame in the center. Some firefighters were giving a demonstration on extinguishing fires: if a gas leak catches fire at home, do not pour water on the source; instead, cover the flame with a lid and then turn off the gas valve.

Across from the lawn was a farm kindergarten, a paradise for children. It featured simulated strawberries, peppers, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy cows, where children could mimic picking and milking, allowing them to get close to these plants and animals and cultivate their life interests and skills. Upon entering the kindergarten, each child received an apron, a bucket, and a small trowel. It was autumn, the harvest season, and the garden was full of fruit. The children tied on their aprons, carried their buckets, and began picking. After harvesting, they put the fruit into their buckets and went to the market to sell it, using their labor to buy the food they needed.

Leaving there, we entered a large exhibition hall. At the entrance, many pumpkins were displayed, the largest weighing 72.5 kilograms—though not the best harvest year. The hall also featured artworks, handicrafts, cake and candy making techniques, award-winning photography, and precious chrysanthemums. It was all-encompassing and made visitors linger.

Next we arrived at the log-chopping competition. Six strong contestants—four men and two women—took the stage simultaneously. The task was to chop a log about one meter long in half at the middle. First, they laid the log flat and secured it, then used axes to cut a small flat area on each end so they could stand on it. After preparation, all six stood on the log. At the referee's whistle, they swung their axes hard, first chopping one side of the log, then turning to chop the other side. Within less than a minute, the four male contestants almost simultaneously cut through a log forty centimeters in diameter. Although the two women were a few seconds slower, they also demonstrated great strength, earning applause from the audience.

After the chopping, a sawing competition began. The participants were divided into six groups of two. After the logs were secured, the referee whistled, and the contestants pulled the large saws. Logs forty centimeters in diameter were conquered in under a minute, followed by cheers and applause.

Then we entered another hall displaying fruits and vegetables from various Australian states. They were arrayed neatly, dazzling the eyes and making one's mouth water.

Exiting the hall, we encountered a parade of about ten cars and tractors decorated as floats. Some floats had fruit trees planted on them, resembling an orchard where people worked hard; some had small wooden houses, symbolizing the beautiful homes of farm owners; others displayed agricultural produce, showcasing a bountiful harvest. Beside the floats, young men and women in festive attire danced and sang along, expressing the joy and happiness of Australians living in abundance.

After seeing the floats off, we entered the pet pavilion, where there were cats of various breeds in cages, silently watching the visitors. Parrots were unafraid of the crowd and chattered noisily. One person had a snake as a pet, playing with it casually and occasionally interacting with onlookers.

Then we entered a hall displaying many silver items, glittering and magnificent.

Next came the horse pavilion. The horses here were used for equestrian events, jumping, and racing. They were tall, strong, with glossy coats and large hooves, walking with powerful strides.

An equestrian performance began, and we sat in the stands. Horses were harnessed to small carts one by one, pulling the carts with unhurried dancing steps. The riders sat in the carts, holding a whip in one hand and the reins in the other, relaxed and carefree.

The cattle pavilion displayed many breeds. One breed had a very large body, ears like an elephant, and a humped back resembling a camel, which was particularly eye-catching.

Then came the pig pavilion and the chicken, duck, and goose pavilion. Many fine breeds of pigs and poultry were exhibited and judged.

In the sheep pavilion, judging was underway. Prize winners were awarded blue, red, white, and yellow ribbons. There were also sheep-shearing competitions and sheepdog demonstrations.

At 4 PM, there was a milking demonstration. We sat in the audience while the commentator explained. Staff brought in three dairy cows, wiped the teats clean with disinfectant wipes, attached milking machines to the teats, and started the suction. Milk flowed continuously into the tubes. These high-quality milk cows supplied countless people every day.

Near the amusement area was a haunted house, with a long queue outside. Occasionally, masked monsters with fangs and green faces peeked out, looking around, sending chills down people's spines.

Finally, we went to the circular stadium and sat in the stands. The first event was horse jumping obstacles. As the riders approached the obstacles, their horses leaped into the air, cleared them, and landed perfectly. Seven riders took turns, including one woman. Their skilled movements and brilliant performance drew rounds of applause.

Next came bronco riding. Riders mounted the horses, which bucked violently, struggling and twisting to throw them off. After intense jolting, some riders were thrown off quickly, some lasted longer before being thrown, and some managed to tame the wild horses and succeed.

After bronco riding, three motorcycle riders entered the arena. The motorcycles accelerated, went up an inclined ramp on the ground, and soared into the air. The riders performed upright, upside-down, flat, and dangling poses, and even did somersaults in midair—a breathtaking stunt. Everyone's hearts tightened with each dangerous move and relaxed only when the motorcycles landed safely.

Then a horse-drawn carriage came into view. It carried a high load, pulled by two shaft horses and nine trace horses. The driver sat leisurely on the shaft, circling the arena twice, evoking a sense of times gone by. Two race cars also stole the show on the track, chasing each other, overtaking and being overtaken on the narrow circular track. Particularly at the curves, the sight was thrilling.

A gymnastic performance began. About a hundred young women held hand lamps and continuously changed formations on the lawn. Performing artists sang beautiful songs on stage.

At 8:30 PM, the fireworks display started. Clusters of fireworks bloomed in the sky, immersing everyone in a wonderful reverie. At 8:45 PM, the day's sightseeing and watching ended, but people were still lingering, eagerly discussing what they had seen and heard.