Woodchoppers will come out swinging at the Royal Canberra Show for the first time since 2022.
COVID and wood supply shortages brought a temporary halt, but axe and saw competitions are back this year.
The Woodchop Chairperson of the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society, Simon Bennett, said there would be 50 competitors from around Australia and New Zealand, with 20 from the Canberra region and at least 10 women.
There will be chopping and sawing events, and the Hot Saw Shootout, with chainsaws added to the mix.
"It's Australia's oldest sport," Mr Bennett said - dating back to 1870.
Mr Bennett is part of a woodchopping dynasty: his father Len was a world champion, he was a NSW champion and his son Curtis has won multiple state titles.
The Bennetts started woodchopping when they were young but although Shaun O'Connor only started 10 years ago, he has been making up for lost time.
"I was a rugby guy all my life," Mr O'Connor, 53, said.
But after hanging up his rugby boots he still wanted a physical outlet. "Even as a kid I was fascinated by woodchopping," he said.
Mr O'Connor is president of the Hall and District Axemen's Club which he founded in 2016.
"We've got about 40 members, including 12 women," he said. They range in age from six to 60.
Mr O'Connor's son Austin, 18, has also taken up the axe.
Although there are only about 800 axemen in Australia, the fact that there are participants as young as six and intergenerational enthusiasts suggests there will be competitions - at the Royal Canberra Show and around Australia - for some time yet.
The show's chief executive officer, Adelina La Vita, said that the organisers, mindful of the difficult economic climate, had included a lot of free activities and demonstrations for children, such as an interactive science show, a farmyard nursery, milking and sheep shearing and craftmaking.
"They can get involved," she said.
A new activity at this year's show - the 97th - is egg painting, Ms La Vita said.
"It's not just dyeing an egg in colour but creating an artwork on the egg," she said.
There will be competitions for various kinds of baking and making, too.
With the Showmen's Guild of Australasia and the Show having resolved a dispute, the rides and attractions of Sideshow Alley will be back, as will the equestrian and livestock competitions, all essential elements of any show.
"Sheep will be back for the first time in a long time," Ms La Vita said.
New this year will be the Outback Stockman's Show, including horsemanship and working dogs.
The pig races were always popular with all ages, Ms La Vita said.
There will be what Ms La Vita called "pockets of pleasure with food, entertainment and just chilling".
And, of course, there will be show bags.
- The Royal Canberra Show is on at Exhibition Park, Flemington Road, Mitchell from Friday, February 23 to Sunday, February 25. See: canberrashow.org.au. Tickets: iwannaticket.com.au.
