Q. How long have you been in your role helping organise the society’s annual show?
I came on as junior vice last year and I’m learning the ropes from the vice-president. I’ve been farming in the district since 2006 and I joined the society a year or two later — it’s a great area with a strong sense of community — we all pitch in and help. Before being junior vice-president, I was the convener of the horses. We are all volunteers and everyone in the town does what they can. On show day, my job is to organise the cups of tea and the food and the drinks at the end and I go around all the displays and make sure everyone is happy.
Q. How did Covid-19 restrictions affect the show last year?
The public were excluded and we had competitors only for dog trials, horse events and a fencing contest. We get about 130 entries in the dog trials and the top two triallists get to compete in the South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships.
Q. What are some of the other events happening on the day?
Competitions in equestrian, fencing, shearing and woodchopping and there will be a grand parade featuring a range of animals.
Q. Will there be amusements?
Yeah, bits and pieces from a merry-go-round to a dunk tank.
Q. How are show preparations going?
We’ve had a working bee, tidying up gates in stock pens and some painting before Tapanui Showgrounds gets transformed into a sea of marquees, trade sites, animals and people.
