A substantial crowd watched the drama as Dunn, whose family provided the wood for the competition, seemingly entered one too many competitions, eventually succumbing in the prestige treefelling event. Dunn, in his late 40s, was also the chief steward.

Beaten in the heat by a split second but qualifying for the finals, he was comprehensively beaten in the final round.

Walcha’s Mitch Scrivener rubbed salt into the wound: “He got the wood, he could have given himself a better block!” he laughed.

Show organisers were surprised at show attendance this year, expecting a drop in numbers due to the drought.

Show president Andrew Hancock said it was lucky events like the campdraft could happen at all. Rex and Julie Sheedy and Waterloo station put up their hand to help out, he said.

“Without those two it wouldn’t have happened either, it would have been a cancel,” he said.

He said they didn’t have final gate takings but estimates were that Saturday numbers were solid, though Friday was a little quiet.

“It was a hell of a lot better than we expected given conditions.

“I guess people were just saving up and had one night at the show instead of two.”

Cooking steward Mary Hollingworth said she thought people had likely been keyed up by the drought.

“I think what happens in small rural communities like Glen Innes, when times are challenging, whether there’s been a tragedy or an extreme weather event, which is what we’re experiencing with this dry and the fires surrounding.

“It really brings out the best in people and people are somehow more determined to make something work and they show even more commitment.”

She said the flower competition shows that dynamic best.

“It’s been unbelievably difficult to keep any garden alive and yet the floral display … was unbelievable.”