A decision was made by the general public of Kyabram to hold a Championship Rodeo at the Kyabram Recreation Reserve as the main Victory Day celebration.
The Victory Day celebrations started with a procession to the recreation reserve at 9.30am.
Three-hundred entries were received from Australia’s leading buck-jumping riders with 100 selected horses and 150 selected mountain bred bullocks assembled.
The Dawes family made its spacious grounds (next to the reserve) available for a car park at a charge of one shilling.
Admission charges: Adults 3/- ; Children 1/-.
School children wearing Victory Medals were admitted free.
Arrangements were made with the Management of the Kyabram Cannery to supply 600 meals in the up-to-date cannery hostel cafeteria. Meal tickets were available at the No. 1 Snack Bar at the grounds.
Extract from they Kyabram Free Press dated June 14, 1946:
“Kyabram was the mecca for some 10,000 residents from a tremendous area when the Victory Day Rodeo provided a function which will long remain in the minds of state and particularly district residents”.
Following the all-day Rodeo, a large bonfire was lit at 7.30pm on the corner of Lake Rd and Fenaughty St where a barbecue was provided.
A HILL-BILLY BALL was then held in the Mechanics’ Hall at 8.30pm where Championship Sashes were presented during the interval.
Proceeds were devoted to the proposed Kyabram Community Memorial Hospital and the Grounds Improvement Committee.
I am very grateful to Haydn Wood for sharing this great photograph.
— Compiled by Eileen Sullivan, Kyabram Historical Society voluntary librarian
