NZ Agricultural Show: Horses preened for competition

When Colin the horse steps into the ring at the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch his hair and make-up will be immaculate.

• First published on RNZ

Gloss and shine spray seem unlikely equestrian gear, but presentation is everything.

Over the past few days Mosgiel's Jane Walker has trimmed, washed and oiled the nine-year-old Arabian Derivative's coat in preparation for the return of the biggest A&P show in the country.

Colin's primping and preening extends to a forelock plait, false tail, painted legs and hooves, free-hand quarter marks in a chequerboard pattern and even eye make-up.

"Horse make-up is a thing and everyone who does showing has a make-up box and it's full of lots of goodies," Walker said.

"It's actually something that goes right over the top bone over the eye, then we put on a gloss which sort of enhances the sort of bug-eye, glossy look, so it makes their eyes pop. It makes them look the part."

Walker's daughter Ella will compete in a number of different classes at the Canterbury Agricultural Park under Colin's show name Gandarah Country Road.

Despite the meticulous grooming, Walker said Colin was used to the fuss.

"To be fair he is very, very well-behaved. He is so used to it now he just stands there like a pretty good boy. We're quite fortunate to have our Colin," she said.

More than 100,000 people are expected to flock to the three-day show, which opens today after two years of Covid-19 disruption.

The prestigious horse and pony events are among the traditional highlights, along with shearing, wood-chopping, gumboot-throwing and the ever-popular duck-herding.

Four-year-old Greer Hazlett is competing in the show for the first time, on her pure-bred Section A Welsh pony.

"His name is Peekaboo and he's four years old, like me," she said.

Tabitha Hazlett said she was looking forward to seeing her daughter take part, after making the journey from Hokonui near Winton.

"It's a little bit nerve-wracking but Greer loves it and her pony is very well-behaved," she said.

In the dairy marquee, fourth-generation Holstein breeder Dean Geddes is readying four milkers, six heifers and two calves for the competition.

Farm hands clip the cows, which are on a special grain and dry-feed diet, and hover with buckets to keep them poo-free in their showground stalls.

The Tai Tapu farmer, who has won a swag of champion awards, said there was an art to getting cows in the right form at the right time.

"You've got to have good legs and feet, good conformation, a good strong loin, good udder," he said.

"We actually don't breed show cows we breed dairy cows because we're dairy farmers, and then the show cows come."

In an effort to encourage more children to visit the show, entry is free for everyone under 18.

Show general manager Tracy Ahern said she hoped it would foster greater connections between city and country kids and ensure cash-strapped families did not miss out.

"A lot of our older members wanted the youth to have the same memories of the show that they had growing up and wanted that legacy to continue for their great-grandchildren and beyond," she said.

"We do think this is going to be our best show ever."

As for the best cows, Dean Geddes said a win was usually a quiet affair.

"I might have a beer with it, they get a ribbon and then she'll go home and next week she'll be just a dairy cow out in the paddock with the others," he said.

The show runs from Wednesday to Friday, when the Geddes cows can return to ruminating on rural life on the family farm.

-By Jean Edwards