Instead a stand alone Melbourne Royal Dairy Show, including all of the normal events, will be staged on the Wednesday and Thursday prior to the start of the Royal Show.

Dairy Cattle Committee chairman Jim Conroy said the new format would give exhibitors and spectators alike the chance to view the dairy events without the crowding that has become a major issue since the Showgrounds redevelopment.

He said visitors to the Royal Show would still see dairy cattle exhibits and have the chance to talk with their owners.

But the judging which was really only important to those in the industry would now be conducted at the specialist Royal Dairy Show.

Mr Conroy said the response from exhibitors at this stage had been positive and they expected about 200 dairy exhibits this year– a big increase on the dwindling numbers over recent years.

Holstein breeder and former RAS dairy committee chair Scott Sommerville said it was disappointing that the dairy industry which remains the state’s largest agricultural industry had been forced out of the Melbourne Royal.

He said with the amount of money that had been spent to upgrade the Showgrounds it was a pity that so little space had been left for the major livestock exhibitors.

Chris and Mary Gleeson’s Elm Banks Holsteins at Koroit has been one of the most successful exhibitors at the Melbourne Royal over recent years and Mr Gleeson said he hoped that the new format works.

“It could be a step in the right direction but we will never know unless you give it a try.

“But the RAS also has to be prepared to commit the time and resources to make it work – and that includes keeping exhibitors informed about what is going to happen and when.”

One main concern, he said, was the short time between the Adelaide Royal which finished on September 13 and the Melbourne Dairy Show which starts judging two days later.

But exhibitors at the new format show would certainly appreciate the extra room to hold and display their cattle and the easier access to the site and parking.

“It sounds good so now it is up to the RAS to make it work,” he said.