Cumnock Show 2021 cancelled by COVID-19 safety concerns

The announcement to cancel the event which had been scheduled for Saturday, March 13, came after a meeting between executive committee members to "discuss the logistics of holding the Cumnock Show in a COVID-19 world with set regulations and restrictions".

"It is with great sadness that we, unfortunately, have had to make the tough decision to CANCEL this year's show," the Show Society said Friday.

"We believe that it would have been very difficult to be able to host the show safely."

The committee added that it still hoped to host a community event later in the year.

The Cumnock Show has not been held since 2019 after its 2020 event was similarly cancelled over COVID-19 safety concerns.

Show secretary Cassandra Roberts said the second consecutive cancellation of an event with such a legacy was a sad blow to the community but a necessary measure during the ongoing uncertainty of COVID-19.

"To safely put it on we'd have to get rid of all the kids' activities - all the fun things," she said.

"I think a lot of small communities are cancelling their shows this year so we're not the only ones but it is a shame as the community and the surrounding area look forward to it."

Ms Roberts explained that the committee's decision to cancel the show was motivated by the fact that there would be competitors and judges travelling from interstate to take part.

"We would need covid marshals [and] we don't have the manpower in a small community," she added.

Cumnock is the latest community in the Central West to cancel its show in 2021, with the Rylstone-Kandos Show Society making the decision to can its February 26-27 event earlier this month.

Orange Show Society remains optimistic that its May 8 - 9 event will be able to go ahead, albeit with the usual tight COVID-19 restrictions. The society is preparing to mark its 150^th anniversary in 2021.

"Last year we made the decision to cancel our event about a month out, so once we get to that time of year the Sydney Royal Easter Show will be a good gauge for us but there's no major concerns right now," show president Peter Naylor said last week.