Welcome to the sixth article in a series celebrating 150 years of the Horsham Agricultural Society. Throughout the series, the people, milestones and stories that have shaped the society throughout the past 150 years are featured.

 

When Fiona Tracey arrived in Horsham looking for a place to finally call home after years of living across regional Australia and the cities, she never expected volunteering would lead to becoming vice-president of Horsham Agricultural Society.

Her journey began while volunteering at Maydale Reserve for the Art is… festival, where she discovered the society was much more than a two-day show.  

In 2022, Fiona became a member of the society and was nominated to join the council.

“My first event was the Wimmera Merino Sheep Show, where I learned about fleece grading and met the great people behind it all,” Fiona said.

Since then, she has helped with everything from data entry and grants to the 150km Feast, Smoke on the Water and Horsham Show, which she managed in 2024.

For Fiona, it is the people who keep her coming back.

“They work hard but always with positivity, energy and enthusiasm. They’re open to new ideas, they value the legacy they’re carrying forward and they’re so welcoming,” she said.

As the society celebrates 150 years, Fiona believes volunteering is about more than giving time.

“It’s a privilege to be part of such an important piece of the region’s history and future. The Horsham Show is a loved, much-anticipated event and I believe it’s a legacy worth celebrating,” she said.

Volunteering is also changing.

“Historically, most of our volunteers were committee members, but today we’re creating opportunities for people who simply want to lend a hand without committing to regular meetings,” Fiona said.

The new Chores for a Cause initiative will run across three weekends in September, inviting the community to help prepare for the Horsham Show.

“We value every little detail our volunteers do. The power of someone saying yes can have an enormous impact on an organising committee,” Fiona said.

Volunteers help deliver events including the Horsham Show, Horsham Horse Show, Wimmera Merino Sheep Show, 150km Feast, Smoke on the Water and community Christmas celebrations.

Fiona’s advice is simple.

“Put your hand up, make the call, send the email or reply to the Facebook post. Give it a couple of hours,” she said.

“You’ll have fun, feel accomplished and enjoy seeing people having a great time because of your effort.”

For Fiona, volunteering helped her find her sense of belonging.

The entire August 26, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!