The animals in McWilliams’ art are full of personality and usually inspired by actual creatures he has encountered, lending them the air of portraiture. Here the prize show cows have moved on from the grassy arena to the fun of the fair, skulking amongst the laughing clowns. The Longford show, with its focus on agriculture and busy sideshow alley, has been running since 1857. By giving his animals adventures in incongruous settings, McWilliams always manages to provoke the viewer with his humour, often prompting us to think more deeply about the relationship between animals – both native and introduced, humans and the land.