30 years to 1993
Two members of the Melbourne Hunt Club dressed in hunting pink formed an escort for the special guest at this year’s Berwick Show, Rupe Richardson. Mr Richardson, who officially opened the show, is a life member of the Melbourne Hunt Club and the Berwick Show Society and has been attending the show for 72 years, even though in recent times he and wife Kath have moved to Queensland. He praised the society, recalling Akoonah Park when it was little more than a bush paddock full of blackberries. “When I was only a little fella the show was held down at Clyde Road and I would ride to this ground when it was just a bush paddock,” he said. “You would not believe what it was like then.” He said he was extremely pleased that the rural facet of the show had been retained.
20 years to 2003
Bride Lyn Demoor and her bridesmaids had a surprise in store for groom Christopher Messer and guests at their wedding. Lyn and her entourage each drove a large tractor – with lights flashing – on the four kilometre journey from the bride’s house to the wedding venue at Cardinia Country Lodge, much to the delight of passing motorists. Mother of the bride, Annie Demoor of Cardinia, said the tractors had the desired effect. “It gave everyone a huge surprise. No-one could believe it when they turned up on the tractors but a lot of the guests were farmers, so it was very appropriate.” She said both bride and groom had farming backgrounds and that her husband’s friend had spent the previous week washing and polishing the four tractors, which then had a ribbon a bouquet of flowers attached for the happy occasion.
10 years to 2013
Eager shoppers gathered along Main Street in Pakenham as The Footy Show larrikin Sam Newman walked up and down interviewing people for his Street Talk segment. Dressed as Abraham Lincoln, Sam engaged the locals on the AFL’s recent performance-enhancing drugs scandal. The former Geelong champion got a little more than he bargained for when he came across Terry Badwin. The Terry’s Discounts proprietor sprinted up to Sam, stopping just in front of him to have a chat and getting up close and personal. Hayley Conn, event manager at the Pakenham Racing Club, stopped to have a chat and, working her job beautifully, encouraged Sam to get along to the Pakenham Cup on Sunday 24 March. Jarrah Bevilacqua from Century 21 could barely contain his excitement. “I love him,” Jarrah said. “I’m a Cats supporter. I was driving in and saw him from the corner and ran across the car park to see him.”
