The 6-year-old Ashburton youngster was not going to miss out on the chance to show off the skills he learned on the family farm when he jumped into the seat of the piece of machinery being used for the Five Forks School digger challenge fundraiser at the North Otago A&P Show at the Oamaru Showgrounds on Saturday, which involved a softball being carefully removed from an orange cone and dropped into a barrel.
It may have taken a couple of attempts but Cameron got the job done, much to the delight of his proud parents, Richard and Tamie Macdonald, who own a dairy farm just outside Ashburton.
Cameron said he loved riding on tractors and helping out around the farm, particularly when it came to mowing and baling silage.
He was one of the hundreds of children and their families who enjoyed the 156th edition of the two-day annual show, which started on Friday and wrapped up on Saturday afternoon.
The old line an A&P Show is when the country comes to town still very much rings true, even in a regional town such as Oamaru.
The highlight for many on Friday night was the carnival night, which featured the piggy in the sawdust competition that involved children frantically hunting through it for the prized pig.
As happens every year, animals including sheep, goats, cattle and horses were judged and ribbons handed out, plus there were slightly more unusual events. Barry Hobbs and his duck-herding show, which has become a staple, was once again well-attended by curious onlookers. Magician Jonathan Usher captivated the audience with his brand of magic and comedy.
The first North Otago A&P Show was held on November 12, 1863. The association is the second-oldest still running a show in New Zealand.
