It was the first day of the 2025 Sydney Royal Easter Show, and I hit the ground running as soon as I had arrived at 7am in the Pet Pavillion.
It is that one big mega event of the year that the NSW Fancy Rodent Society really get to showcase the rodents to a larger audience, and share the love and passion that we have for keeping rats and mice as pets.
A week before the event opens media is contacting club representatives for pre-show articles, interviews and to book us with radio talk show hosts, TV news teams, and other media. So, the schedule for the days event ahead is already hectic and time tight.
My day starts with setting up the judging area and getting all of our club signage displayed while exhibitors start to arrive with their animals to line up for vetting in. Steve Smith, ( the club’s public officer and RES liaison) has already done most of the work with setting up the exhibitors tables and delegating the show schedule along with the lineup of officials that will be meeting with us throughout the day.
Each year seems to bring more media attention for the rodents at the Sydney Royal and the NSWFRS are more than happy to use these opportunities to promote not only rats and mice as pets but also responsible pet ownership and animal welfare. The club is more than breeding rats and mice for show, its members aspire to ensure that the animals they breed are done so responsibly and ethically with great emphasis on health and temperament.
With all the animals vetted in and exhibitors displays all set up, the Sydney Royal officially opened to the public at 9am and the crowds did not disappoint! We kicked off judging about 10am with myself judging rats, Jennifer Birkett, guest judging the mice, and Wendy Culshaw judging the Pet classes. Throughout the judging all three of us were also talking to media for radio and TV, answering a myriad of questions by media and the public whilst we critiqued the rodents. There were not many moments that we did not have a camera of sorts pointed at us and the rodents for filming and photos.
The morning brisked by very quickly and I had finished judging all of the rats in time to start heading for the Officials Luncheon where we all enjoyed an amazing meal. I had only enough time after our lunch to stop at two stalls on our walk back to the Pet Pavillion before stowing away with one of Sandra McLean’s rats, Raga Muffin, for an interview with 2GB Radio.
After the 2GB interview It was power walk back to the NSWFRS display area for presentation as well as to chat to the public and prepare for the Rodent segment with Farmer Dave. This is where we are introduced by Farmer Dave to an audience with our pocket pets in a fun and informative show, however, I could not stay too long as I was scheduled for my final radio interview with ABC.
Before we knew it, our day was coming to an end and we were packing away our displays and animals ready for the trip back home. I may not have been able to see much outside of the Pet Pavillion at the Sydney Royal this year amongst the media, judging and public, but it was indeed a fantastic day for the NSWFRS, its exhibitors and the animals. It is always a wonderful thing to be able to have the opportunity to educate the public about how amazing rats and mice are as pets and to help dispel the negative stigma that surrounds these awesome little animals.
By: Rachel Sydenham- Animal Care Australia Small Mammal Representative. Originally published: June 2025 ACE Newsletter.
