The peak body for the 192 agricultural shows in New South Wales today announced three finalists in the annual recognition for individual excellence amongst the vast volunteer network, and the top three are all from the central west.
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The top three includes the president of the Blayney Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Phil Nankivell.
The other two are Rose Jackson from Gulgong Show Society and Lyall Wilkinson from the West Wyalong Show Society.
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Agricultural Societies Council of New South Wales president Tim Capp said that since 1983 Mr Nankivell has done an outstanding job leading, encouraging, and guiding the committee.
"After Covid lockdowns and show cancellations in 2020, Phil was determined that there would be a show this year.," Mr Capp said.
"Phil has been central to improvements to the showground, the collaboration of different user groups and a fruitful relationship with the local council."
"He too has a vision around the inclusion of younger members, placing the show society in a good position for the future.
"Young stewards are shadowing senior stewards so they will gain the knowledge to continue staging successful shows in Blayney in years to come."
Phil said that the nomination is the result of a hard working committee.
"I'm happy to be nominated, but I don't want to take all the accolades," he said.
"They need to have someone at the top to give the award to, but really I have a great team around me, I put a lot of faith in my committee and we get a lot of support from business, schools and the community leading up to the show."
In the decades that he's been president of the show society Mr Nankivell said that there's always been a cohesive committee that has driven the society forward.
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"We've had good secretaries, good treasurers and over the past three or four years we're getting 30-35 members at every monthly meeting and that speaks a lot for our show body," he said.
Nurturing the next generation of organisers and committee members was the main aspect of Phil's nomination and he feels that the show is looking very strong.
"We have had 120 - 130 students from the high school in the days leading up to the show and that's what we want to do, involve the young people who are now helping us out on show day," he said.
"Now some of them are becoming members of the show society as soon as they leave school which is really good."
The winner of the Agricultural Societies Council of New South Wales Excellence Award will be announced on Saturday.