GALLERY - 2026 Royal Hobart Show

Pine Park Charolais has dominated the beef cattle section at the 2026 Royal Hobart Show.

The Sasasafras-based stud was named Supreme Champion Beef Exhibit and took out five other categories in the beef cattle interbreed section.

This year was especially significant for Pine Park owner Denis Dobson, as Charolais were the feature breed at the 2026 show.

“When they said they were going to do a feature show for the breed, I said I would come down, but it would be my last show - after that, I’m hanging up the ropes,” Mr Dobson said.

“I’ve got to call it quits sometime.

“I thought I had a reasonable chance of winning a few ribbons, but I had no expectations that I was going to do so well in the interbreed section.”

Mr Dobson said his son, Tim, might take some of their cattle to smaller shows around the state but was adamant that 2026 would be his final one at Hobart.

Pine Park sent 10 cattle to the show, which impressed head judge Harris Thompson from Western Australia, who was named Agricultural Shows Australia’s National Rural Ambassador in 2019.

“He actually came up to the farm a few days after the show to have a look around,” Mr Dobson said.

“I knew of him but had never met him before.

“It’s a big pat on the back when a top breeder like him says he likes the cattle you breed.”

Mr Dobson said that in the lead-up to the Royal Hobart Show, he introduced hard feed like pellets and hay to his cattle to mimic the diet they would have during the event.

“There’s no magic way of doing it – you’ve just got to work hard.

“I’ve got quiet cattle that are used to being handled, and that makes life a lot easier.

“Any cattle that doesn’t like strangers is not a good idea to take to the show with people rushing around the shed.”

Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania operations manager Mitch Spong said that more than 40,000 people attended across the three days.

“It’s slightly down on the last couple of shows, but still ahead of where we were a few years ago, so it’s still a solid number,” Mr Spong said.

“The heat probably got to the crowds a little bit, especially on Thursday afternoon, but overall it was a really successful show.”

The Royal Hobart Show has been held at multiple venues since 2022 because of a major redevelopment at the Showgrounds in Glenorchy, and Mr Sprong said that the 2027 edition would “definitely be fully back there”.

“Juggling between different venues has definitely been a challenge for our staff, volunteers and competitors, but we have learned a lot of lessons that will help us into the future.

“This is what we have been aiming to do for a few years now.

Mr Spong said agricultural shows brought people together.

“We always say that we’re bringing the country to the city, especially at our Royal Hobart Show.

“The full show circuit is extremely important for the agricultural and wider community as a whole.”