People's day traditionally is the Thursday before the second Saturday in October.

I first covered the Launceston Show in 1986 at what was called the Elphin Showgrounds, where Newstead College is now.

It has since moved to Inveresk and is now looking to set up home at Quercus Park near Carrick.

In those days we had two photographers and at least five journos, along with a typist to record the results from the various sections of home industries, wood chopping and horse jumping.

In the early days, we shot film and had to process it back at the office.

Armed with a camera bag, rolls of film, notebook, Blundstone boots, maybe even gumboots and a raincoat (even if it was sunny because it was sure to rain), we would team up with the journos.

We would get either the animals and machinery or the sideshow alley and home industries.

I know one photographer who recently retired, would say 'let's start clockwise and see how quickly we can get around'.

The grand parade would be the 2pm highlight, the new cars, trucks, and machinery on the track, while on the arena were the animals.

This made it easy to get all the grand champions as they walked past.

The hard part was trying to get names as I avoided not being stepped on by the huge champ bull with that long stud name, as he snorted and wanted to get back to his stall.

Entertainment on the track were stunt drivers in cars and motorbikes, and Clydesdale horses and the traditional tree felling championship.

The Bridgestone Holden Dealer Precision Driving Team thrilled the crowd with their driving skills jumping ramps and on two wheels. There was always something going around the track to watch.

Around the back of the show were new cars, trucks and machinery, you could either go via sideshow alley loaded with show bags and sticky fingers from fairy floss, or the cattle stalls with manure stuck to your shoes.

On display would be the latest Mercedes Benz and Chrysler Sigma, alongside the farm Brumby utes and green and red tractors.

The traditional show photos are usually the grand champions of the animal world, parents showing their kids how they can drive dodgem cars, the faint hearted on the Gee Whizzer, kids putting the ball in the clown's mouth and the kids with loads of show bags

Finding that quirky image is always a good way to secure page one rights, being in the right spot or creating the image from an idea seen while walking around and around.

We would walk many kilometres in the four days we were there.

Wednesday was for visiting schools and judging, Thursday was the traditional people's day, Friday was for everyone else and of course, last day on Saturday was to get that last show bag, maybe buy a new tractor, or have your last dagwood dog dripped with tomato sauce.

But sometimes we liked to stir the journos and get them to write a first-hand story about the show.

This could be posing with the grand champion bull, but usually involved getting on rides.

That could be the Gee Whizzer or even just getting into the saddle on the back of a small pony, and the ultimate prize of seeing how long they last before losing their lunch.

One such day in 2010, I was with journo James Brady, who was brave and took up the challenge.

He tried a couple of easier rides to warm up to the big one of the show, the Skywalker.

Luckily he was tall enough, and already had his share of dagwood dogs and show foods.

As you can see by the photo, he was strapped in, spun around, turned upside down for probably what seemed a lifetime.

But when the ride stopped, he surprised me, by keeping his lunch and only feeling a little dizzy.

Note to self: more fairy floss or doughnuts and fizzy drinks before the next ride.

The coverage of the Launceston Show at Inveresk has some what changed from the days of Elphin, now with digital cameras, a reduced arena and amount of exhibitors to get around.

The showbags, hot donuts and dagwood dogs haven't changed, nor has the other stuff from the cattle stalls.

Ah those were smells of the Launceston Show we remember.

Remember, even though the show wasn't on this year, you can now plant your crop of tomatoes!

Here are some more of my show images over the years:

12/10/2017 - Ruby sits on her kennel waiting to go on show, as Gabe Broomhall, 5, of Trevallyn tries it for size.

10/10/1986 - The Governor of Tasmania, General Sir Phillip Bennett inspects the Guard of Honour at Elphin Showgrounds.

9/10/2008 - Jesse Hume, 5, of Launceston.

11/10/2017 - Judges in the home industry section.

9/10/2008 - Mack Semmes-Blake, 5, of Trevallyn, in the animal nursery.

12/10/2017 - Rose Mitchell, 3, with her uncle Nado Pendergast, of Launceston

8/10/2010 - COVID-19 quiet: side show alley at Inveresk.

13/10/2017 - Georgia Porteous, 15, with Joshlee Challenge Beauty, of Hagley.

11/10/2017 - Olivia Heazlewood, 9, of Mt Direction property Platinum Angus rides Rainbow Dash.

12/10/2017 - Showbags galore Ainsley Wells, 5, Annabell Freeman, 6, and Hailee Williams, 5, all of Launceston

Maybe I'll see you next time at the Launceston Show?

Paul Scambler, senior Photographer