The Bathurst High School Animal Nursery has been a feature of the show since the mid-1980s. 

Each year students and teachers give children the opportunity to hold, pat and get to know a variety of animals ranging from tiny new chicks to pigs and ponies. 

Teacher Joe Hardy said that, as always, the students did a fantastic job. 

They came from all years across the school in a huge project co-ordinated by agriculture teacher Peter Mathus. 

“The show fell in the school holidays this year, so this was a big commitment for them,” Mr Hardy said.

He said the students were responsible for setting up the pens, putting down the straw and arranging the animals in them. 

They were also responsible for taking it all down again at the show’s end. 

The students cleaned out the pens and ensured all the animals had fresh food and water during the three days of the show. 

They also helped members of the public and interacted with the children, teaching them about the animals and showing them how to hold and care for them.

If that sounds like a lot of work, it was. However, there was no shortage of volunteers.

“We send out the permission slips and they are back the next morning and all the spots filled,” Mr Hardy said.

“Through this program the kids learn social skills, how to deal with the public, they grow in confidence, and learn about the animals.

“I think one of the biggest things about the whole weekend is learning how to relate to people – that is a real life skill.”

Mr Hardy said there were rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and ducks for the little ones to hold. A very popular addition was a pen of young piglets.

Mr Hardy said the animal nursery would not be possible without the people who loan their animals to the school for the weekend.