The Cowra Show Society has responded to criticism surrounding ticket prices into this year's show.
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Last week, the Cowra Guardian published a story on the show society's decision to change from tickets to wristbands for entry into this year's show.
As a result, a number of people took to social media to voice their outrage about ticket prices, which are $50 for families of four (additional children extra), $25 for adults, $10 for children under 16 years of age and aged/disability pensioners and children five and under are free.
These prices include unlimited entry into the Show across Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday for horse events.
Cowra Show Society Secretary, Graham Eddy, said the prices have remained the same for the past three years and cover a number of costs incurred by running the show.
"To give you an example, the Cowra Show Society doesn't actually own the Showground, we have to pay rent on that and the rent is $10,000 a year," he said.
"Just to run the show, you're looking at around $8500 to $9000 in insurance, to pay for our fabulous ambulance and first aid officers that is $4000, to pay for the clean up afterwards is in excess of $2000 and garbages in excess of $2000 so before we even open the gates, it's costing the Show Society tens of thousands of dollars."
Mr Eddy said the committee then looked at the prices of other forms of entertainment in the region, including other agricultural shows, and believes the price is fair in comparison.
"What we then did was have a look around at the pricing structures that families would pay for other areas of entertainment," he said.
"We know a lot of families go across to Orange to the cinema, we know people go to Bathurst, to Young and for a family pass into the cinemas, it's $50 for an hour and a half."
Mr Eddy said entry prices included plenty of free entertainment, including the rodeo, demolition derby, exhibits, competitions and the fireworks display.
"We then looked at the fact that we are also having a rodeo on the Friday night, which is totally inclusive in those tickets, most rodeo prices are separate to the show prices, ours isn't, it's included," he said.
"It is all encompassing, so instead of charging $50 for the rodeo day and $50 for the show day, it's $50 for the whole lot."
Mr Eddy said besides being a family outing, the Show showcases the very best of Cowra.
"It's not the show society for the show society, we're actually putting on a display of Cowra and what Cowra can do in the region," he said.
"It's something that the town should be really proud of, when they come and see the young kids that do some cooking for the cookery section or grow their vegetables or the farmers, that during a huge drought situation, are still managing to show a little bit of how good they're doing and looking after their livestock."
Noting the change from tickets to wristbands and logistics across the two days, Mr Eddy said anyone with a legitimate concern with wearing the wristbands can contact the Show Office to make alternative arrangements.
Additionally, if attendees require disabled parking spots, they are also asked to call the Show Office.
"We can assist them there, we're only too happy to do that," Mr Eddy said.
The Cowra Show Society would like to thank their sponsors for their support
"Without the sponsors, we would have a real problem keeping the ticket prices at a level we've been able to keep them," he said.
