Maniototo A&P show saved by locals

The Maniototo community was the hero of the A&P show yesterday, organisers said.

Maniototo A&P Show president Margo Hall said she was "so, so grateful" the show went ahead after the past two had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

It was water restrictions that threatened the show this year.

Tracy Crossan, of Ranfurly, enjoys the success of her horse Travalda Mountain Dancer, one of the few purebred Irish draught horses in the country, after collecting five supreme champion sashes at the the show yesterday.

Show committee secretary Janine Smith said irrigation to the horse arena was turned off last week.

Within an hour of the committee discovering the water had been turned off they were offered a water truck with a boom and water, Ms Smith said.

Harrison Canning (3), of Ranfurly, finds Penny the alpaca a little too affectionate at the Maniototo A&P Show, in Ranfurly, yesterday. PHOTOS: JULIE ASHER

The truck had done two passes every day for five days before the show and that meant the committee were able to hold a safe equestrian event.

"Without the water I can’t be sure that a show would have been possible; if we can’t make it safe for an equestrian event, we can’t hold a show," she said.

Maniototo residents show off their best garden produce.

A third cancellation might have been the end of the A&P show at Ranfurly, Ms Smith said.

"If we hadn’t had a show this year I’m not sure we would have got back on our feet to have another show."

It was really hard to get momentum and the show was run entirely by volunteers.

"It’s getting expensive for people to enter and compete.

Maniototo A&P Show committee member Janine Smith (left) and president Margo Hall.

"There’s a lot of pressure, there’s regulatory pressure, there’s pressure right down to the cost of ingredients."

Entries were down in the home industry section, potentially due to the cost of producing entries, but they were up in sheep and wool entries and trade stands were well up on previous year, she said.

Mrs Hall was delighted to finally finish her two show terms after four years.

"I’ll probably go down in history as the longest-serving president with the least number of shows."