Legends of the EKKA: Competitors and Exhibitors

This blog was written by 2025 Royal Queensland Show (EKKA) Fellow, Bronwyn Bridgewater. 

Over the past 150 years of Australian history, there have been momentous shifts in cultural and social values, particularly regarding the traditionally demarcated roles of men and women. How the RNA has adapted to these significant gender shifts is particularly demonstrated in the area of competitions where there was once:

a strict separation of women’s and men’s spheres and...very explicit and distinctive versions of femininity and masculinity. (1)

Originally established in 1899, the ‘Women’s Industries’ section celebrated the then perceived role of women in the home, centring on cooking and arts and crafts. At the same time, new masculine oriented competitions were introduced such as military events relating to the mounted infantry, troopers, artillery and horses, as well as what is  an extremely popular event still  today, woodchopping. 
 

Arts and Cookery

After WW2, the strict ‘women only’ competitors of Women’s Industries (Creative Art and Craft Competition) began to blur with ‘gender neutral categories of ‘cookery’ and ‘creative art and craft’, partly prompted by post-war rehabilitation schemes for servicemen’. (2) In fact, Queenslanders were stunned in 1953 when a Scots-Guardsman, James Stuart, won first and second prize for iced and decorated birthday cakes. Today, men, women and children compete in numerous events ranging from woodchopping to equestrian events.

Geoff Beattie – Blue Ribbon Champion

I recently chatted with a wonderful Ekka competitor, Geoff Beattie, a retired Lockyer Valley dairy farmer, about his long history of prize winning entries at the Ekka. Geoff, a 79 year young grandfather, is still competing in the popular Arts and Cookery competitions. After the premature death of his wife in 1987, Geoff was faced with the responsibility of caring for his four young children - so cooking became a central part of his life. His culinary skills became so superior that by 1990 he had started entering his cakes, marmalades and relishes into local country and Capital Show competitions, including the Ekka. 

Since that time Geoff has won around 5,000 awards and ribbons at Country Shows and Australian Royal Capital Shows. Even though his family think it’s about time for him to retire, Geoff has already prepared 42 entries for this year’s Ekka. Make it a ‘must do’ to check out Geoff’s mouthwatering entries at this year’s Ekka! With all his success, Geoff amusingly shared with me that he still uses the same one speed mix master that was a wedding present from over 50 years ago to make his prize winning entries. All jokes aside, Geoff takes the Ekka very seriously, and has only missed attending the Show when his wife was in hospital. The Ekka is an ongoing tradition for him and his family, with his son, Jason, showing Led Steers and his grandson, Hayden, winning the Junior Led Steer Ekka event in 2023. When Geoff turns 80, I’m guessing he will still be entering the Creative Art and Craft Competition and pursuing even more blue ribbons in 2026 – what a great way to celebrate the Ekka’s 150th birthday!

Showjumping

The first Olympic Show Jumping event for women was held in 1952, when women participated in the Helsinki Olympic Games in individual competitions, but not in team games. (7) Undoubtedly, there were women who were show jumpers in the early 1900’s, such as Emilie Roach, from NSW who ‘was reputedly the first female rider to record a show-ring jump over seven feet (2.13 metres), riding Weir’s horse Musician in 1920" (8)

Today, women compete in all equestrian events at the Ekka. Amarni Easey-Pink, daughter of Ekka Legend, Ron Easey, has followed in the steps of her father as a champion show jumper. Armani and Ron, won the senior and junior rider of the Ekka in 2016. They were believed to be the first daughter and father combination to win these awards simultaneously.

In 2017 Amarni’s sponsors decided that a pink coat would be the best way for her family to be able to spot her, plus celebrate her maternal family name – ‘Pink’.

In fact, Amarni, has a remarkable story of her own with the Ekka - from her maternal side. Outside of being an Ekka Champion Junior Showjumper, Amarni is also a 5th generation member of a travelling show family, the Pinks. The Pinks (and their many descendants), have been working in sideshow alley for over 100 years. Amarni recalls there have been many times that she would finish competing and run to sideshow alley, in her riding gear, to help her family out on busy show days. Ron and Amarni Easey and the Pink family encapsulate the essence of the symbiotic relationship between country, town and the travelling show community - working together to make the Ekka great.

Woodchopping

Another example of how traditional competitive sports have evolved over the last 150 years can be seen in what is the Ekka’s oldest event - woodchopping. Once a totally male domain, woodchopping competition now include men, women and juniors, who participate across a wide range of events.

Although women could not compete in woodchopping events until recent years, there have certainly always been women timber cutters. A great example of this are the Irish immigrant Lynch sisters, from the Kingaroy district, who were invited to compete against men in a Gympie ‘special exhibition’ (14) in 1909…and, of course, they won!

Things have certainly changed from the days of the Lynch sisters’ remarkable woodchopping exhibition. In 2022, the Ekka featured what can only be called a watershed moment in its woodchopping history - the inaugural Women’s Woodchopping Competitive events. Two of the many women who participated in this historical event are Anne Paterson and Madeleine Edwards. Anne, originally from New Zealand, was raised on a farm. She started woodchopping following a friend’s suggestion and was coached by a former NZ champion in a garage. The following week she competed in the underhand chop and has ‘never put the axe down since’. In 2022, Anne had the honour of taking out the inaugural Ekka’s Queensland Women’s Champion of Champions trophy. She also teamed up that year with her friend, Madeleine, a NSW axewoman, to win the Jill and Jill Double Handed Sawing event. In 2024, they repeated their success in the same event. Anne now lives in Blackbutt, Qld, and says the Ekka feels like her second home:

‘local royal show, where world class athletes come together to compete and where you still have the close knit community feel.’

Madeleine shared that ‘It was an incredible honour to be part of that moment in history. Another truly special memory is winning numerous Jill and Jill titles alongside my best friend, Anne - sharing that win (Ekka 2022) made it all the more meaningful.’ Over the past few years, Anne and Madeleine have  gone on to win numerous ribbons and awards at the Ekka, as well across Australia wide competitions and New Zealand. 

Madeleine, an assistant School Principal in Northern NSW, was inspired to become an axewoman at 27, by watching the Christmas woodchop carnival at Brunswick Heads – ‘After being a spectator for so long, I finally gave it a go at the age of 27 and I haven’t looked back since. It’s a sport that brings me an immense sense of pride and joy.’  She went on to say that: 

‘The Ekka holds a lot of special memories for me, not just for the competitions, but for the friendships, the atmosphere, and the shared passion among competitors. It’s also been incredible to witness and be a part of the growth of women’s woodchopping over the years. What once was a small field has grown into a truly world-class group of athletes. The level of competition rises each year, and it's exciting to be part of that momentum.’

Geoff Beattie, Armani Easey-Pink, Anne Paterson and past Ekka Legends, who still compete and volunteer their time, echo the above sentiments of Madeline Edwards – that the Ekka is about friendship, dedication, competitive passion and pride. The RNA would be excited to have you join their Volunteer Program! If you are interested, check out the following site for further information: https://www.ekka.com.au/get-involved/volunteer/1st. (18)

Call out for your photographs!

As part of her Royal Queensland Show (EKKA) Fellowship, Bronwyn is calling for stories, photographs, or film footage related to the EKKA. Her research draws on the John Oxley Library and RNA archives to explore how major events—such as drought, the Spanish Influenza, the Great Depression, both World Wars, and more recently COVID-19 and security concerns—have shaped the EKKA and its agricultural, urban, and show communities. If you have memories or materials you’d like to share, please get in touch via qldmemory@slq.qld.gov.au.

Bronwyn Bridgewater

Read more blogs about the EKKA.

More blogs by 2025 EKKA Fellow, Bronwyn Bridgwater:

• Showtime Stories: Uncovering 150 Years of EKKA Magic
• Legends of the EKKA: Volunteers
• EKKA's Sideshow Alley and the Travelling Showmen
• EKKA's Sideshow Alley and the Travelling Showmen: the Pink Family and their descendants.

References

1. Joan Scott, J. & Laurie, R. (2008) Showtime : a history of the Brisbane Exhibition / Joanne Scott and Ross Laurie. St Lucia, Qld: University of Queensland Press. Page 40
2. Joan Scott, J. & Laurie, R. (2008) Showtime : a history of the Brisbane Exhibition  / Joanne Scott and Ross Laurie. St Lucia, Qld: University of Queensland Press. Page 45
3. 1953 'Ex-Scots Guardsman beats women in cake-icing class', The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), 11 August, p. 7. , viewed 19 June 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51078000.
4. Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA) 2014 Geoff Beattie
5. Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA) 2009 Geoff Beattie
6. https://www.youtube.com/@EkkaRQS How to bake an AWARD WINNING RICH FRUIT CAKE | Ekka Blue Ribbon Baking w/Laurel Edwards2020
7. Prestige Italia https://www.prestigeitalia.com/us/show-jumping-from-its-origins-to-the-present-day/#:~:text=The%20history%2II0of%20show%20jumping,early%20as%20the%2018th%20century. 26th June 2025.
8. National Museum Australia https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/collection/highlights/emilie-roach-equestrian 26th June 2025
9. Copyright Amarnie Easey. 2016 Ekka Champions, Ron and Amarni Easey.
10. Copyright Amarnie Easey. 2017 Ekka Show Jumping, Amarni Easey
11. Copyright Amarnie Easey. 2017 Ekka Show Jumping, Amarni Easey
12. Illustrated front cover from The Queenslander, August 15, 1935 (no date). Brisbane John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland Record Number 99183731001902061
13. Truth (2011) Woodchopper in action at the Brisbane Exhibition, 1947. Brisbane: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Record Number 99183836842502061
14. Simon Miller - Library Technician, 2016, The formidable Lynch Sisters of Gympie, John Oxley Library Blog, State Library of Queensland.
15. Lynch sisters demonstrating their wood sawing skills at the Kingaroy Show, Queensland, 1909, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland Neg: 34274.
16. Copyright Madeleine Edwards Jill and Jill Double Handed Sawing Ekka event 2022
17. Copyright Madeleine Edwards Jill and Jill Double Handed Sawing Ekka event 2024
18. https://www.ekka.com.au/get-involved/volunteer/1st July, 2025