The Standard put it to the test at the Warrnambool show, which opened on Friday, with willing participant Jordan Marcos, 8.

The Warrnambool resident jumped on each ride, helping us see how far $50 would stretch for one child for rides and sideshows only.

It did not include admission which is $15 for adults, $5 for primary and secondary students, $20 for a family of one adult and two children or the $35 family ticket for two adults and three children.

Jordan’s first ride was the midnight express, at $8 per person. It spun around, tipping participants onto the side. “It was fast, very fast,” Jordan said. “It was very fun too. It wasn’t scary.”

Next was the break dance ride, which was also $8 per person. It was “fun and fast but not as fast as the midnight express”.

The Warrnambool East Primary School student then tried his hand at the Pokemon knockdown in the sideshow alley, which was $10 for four balls. Despite saying it was hard, Jordan knocked all four targets, winning Pokemon cards and some Lego.  

He jumped on the sizzler ride for $8, commonly known as the cha-cha, with some mates from school. “Everybody should go on it because it’s a lot of fun.”

Next were the dodgem cars at a cost of $8 per car (for one or two riders). “A lot of people crashed into me because I crashed into them. It felt weird when people hit you.”

Finally, at a slower pace was the ferris wheel for $7 per person where Jordan watched the world go by and came to the conclusion that his first ride, the midnight express, was “definitely” his favourite. 

Our day’s spending total came in at $49 for five rides and one game. The most expensive ride we saw was the one wild ride for $10. Many of the rides had value deals such as $8 per person or four for $25 or similar.

Sideshows started at $2 for two balls to knock over tin cans and the popular floating ducks fishing game was $5 for one game or $10 for three. A go on the clowns set patrons back $5 for one game or four turns for $15.

Jordan’s grandma Sandra Timmins said going to the show was money well spent and it was an experience children treasured for years to come. 

There are plenty of free events and activities across the next two days with a high number of entries in the horticulture and arts and crafts pavilions to view. Saturday’s highlights include animal zoos and nursery, children’s entertainment, beef judging at 9am, shearing from noon, a dog agility display at 1pm and high jump at 2pm. The shearing finals will be held from 6pm and a firework display at 9pm.

Check out more colour and fun from Friday’s show here in our gallery of photos.