The Drayton & Toowoomba Agricultural & Horticultural Society was established in 1863. It was named on a prize medal struck around that date (NU 20749). The first show was held in 1864.

Agricultural and horticultural societies played an important role in the development of agriculture in the nineteenth century, encouraging competition for crops and livestock, skills such as ploughing and new farming practices. They held regular shows and competitions.

Mr. James McKeachie, sometime Mayor of Warwick, served gratuitously as judge of wheat and other grains at the Drayton & Toowoomba Agricultural & Horticultural Society shows. His character inspired the greatest confidence in his decisions. He came to Warwick in the mid nineteenth century and was connected with the Ellinthorpe flour mills and later established an unsuccessful saw mill. He was a mechanical engineer served in the German Navy. Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser, Tuesday, July 5, 1887.

Today the Toowoomba Royal Show is one of the biggest regional agricultural shows outside of Brisbane. It is the only Royal show in Queensland outside of Brisbane.

References:
http://hub.dataline.net.au/~tfoen/ddobits2.htm

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