Must Do Ekka

The amazing array of animals is always a huge drawcard at the Ekka, from cute baby lambs to huge bulls, exotic poultry and proudly prancing horses.

For many city kids, the Ekka provides a rare opportunity to get up close to farm animals, with the Animal Boulevard always a popular place for family-friendly experiences.

Of course, the major drawcard for the kids is the RACQ Animal Nursery, where the littlies can walk among the cuties and interact with them. Pat a pig, milk a cow in the Legendairy Milking Barn, watch a baby chick hatch – all experiences guaranteed to create magical memories. And to educate us all about where the meat on our plates comes from, head to the Ekka Cow Paddock, with farmers and their beef cattle on hand.

Our canine friends also offer up plenty of treats, like the Ekka Sheep Dog Trials where you can marvel at the skills and relationship between trainer and dog to see who takes out the competition. Then, see if you can tell which Schnauzer or Pyrenean Mountain Dog has what it takes to win the ribbons in the Canine Competitions, or just enjoy strolling through the dog pavilion and giving them a friendly pat.

Also this year for the very first tme it’ll be all paws on deck when Nick Jr.’s PAW Patrol takes over the stage at Ekka. In this show - a must see for young dog lovers, heroic puppies Chase and Marshall are led by a tech-savvy 10-year-old boy named Ryder. Together they will use their unique blend of problem-solving skills and cool vehicles to work on high-stakes rescue missions.

Marshall the firedog and Chase the police pup will keep the kids highly entertained with their unique personalities and skills. They both have special Pup Packs on their backs to help them handle any situation – no job is too big, no pup is too small!

*This is one show the kids are guaranteed to love – PAW Patrol was named Toy of the Year in 2015.

It wouldn’t be the Ekka without horses so make sure you catch competition highlights like Champion of the Breed and the Showjumpers in the Grand Prix. Thoroughbred Day sees majestic horses led by their human companions in formal race attire into the Main Arena, while the Horse Breeds Expo has 12 different breeds on show, such as the colourful Appaloosa and Pinto, to the huge Percheron and Clydesdales, and the gorgeous Miniature and Fjord horses.

Furry felines – and some hairless ones! – will also be strutting their stuff, with more than 40 breeds judged in categories such as Best Kitten and Best Cat. There’ll even be an entire day dedicated to kittens on Sunday, 16 August, with the Kitten Feature Show.

Meanwhile, fish lovers will want to check out the stunning aquariums where everything from the common goldfish to exotic tropical species through to Australian freshwater natives and amphibians compete in the Pisciculture Competition.

And finally, something worth getting into a flap about are the Poultry, Pigeons and Birds Competitions which have been at the Ekka for over 100 years. Budgies or canaries, racing pigeons or geese, the bird displays are always fascinating.

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By Vicki Englund

The Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) is a valued sponsor of Must Do Brisbane.com