Beaudesert Show Society Life Member Elva West is in the running for the Queensland Ag Show Awards after being nominated in the Outstanding Individual Contribution category.
Elva, 85, has been a Beaudesert Show Society Life Member for 30 years and was Chief Steward in Horticulture for 46 years.
Beaudesert Show Society 2023 Management Committee member David Wilson nominated Elva for the award.
She told the Beaudesert Bulletin she was chuffed about the nomination and grateful for the connections and experiences forged through her contributions to the show movement.
Elva is the third generation of her family to be involved in the Beaudesert Show.
Her grandfather exhibited cattle around 1912, her father was a steward for the pig section and exhibited cattle later in his life and her own involvement has spanned nearly seven decades.
Elva was just 17 when the Beaudesert Show Society asked her to be a flower steward.
Her involvement in the Beaudesert Show led to voluntary opportunities in Brisbane and beyond, including judging at shows and garden competitions in the Redlands, Redbank, Kalbar and Boonah.
She said the Beaudesert Show had always been known as a standout.
“Many judges come in and can’t get over the horticultural display at the Beaudesert Show, because we get up to 300 to 350 entries,” she said.
“It is a magnificent display and of course the Ekka doesn’t have displays like they used to, and when the judges say, ‘Beaudesert is one of the best shows in Queensland’ it makes me proud to be involved.”
Elva resigned from her steward role at the end of 2021 but is a 2023 Patron of the show alongside Ray Dennis and Phil Tarlinton and has been a Life Member since 1993.
She still gets out in the garden and recommends everyone should do the same.
“I still like gardening and fiddling around in it a bit. I wouldn’t say my garden is the best garden around, but it keeps me happy,” she said.
“I often say to friends if you’re feeling a bit down, go out in the garden and even pick up the hose and water a plant. It makes you feel better.”
Winners of the Queensland Ag Shows Awards will be announced at a dinner function in Brisbane on 18 March.
