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From snow to sunshine, it was a tale of two seasons at the 146th Ashburton A&P Show.
The show kicked off in less than ideal weather on Friday, but Saturday was a perfect day and the showgrounds were buzzing.
There were sheep, claves, roosters, alpacas, and more on show.
Heading dogs and their handlers rounded up sheep in one corner, show jumpers steered their mounts over high jumps aiming for a clear round in the arena, and some of the South Island’s top shearers had wool flying at an impressive speed in the shearing shed.
Then there was the fun fair, the interesting stalls, and tractors and machinery galore.
The vintage tractors brought a touch of nostalgia, along with the Clydesdale horses.
Hinds-based Clydesdale breeders Dayboo Stud took part in a range of events, from in-hand showing to long reining, log skidding through an obstacle course and wagons.
Ange Protheroe said the stud attended the Ashburton show every year.
“It’s a family show and it,s a real highlight to give back to our community,” she said.
Protheroe, along with stud owners John Booth and Gaye Day, attends anywhere from five to 10 shows a season, depending on when they are held and whether there were date clashes. Next week they are in Blenheim.
“We try to do one new A&P show every year.”
Prothereo said she loved interacting with the public and showing what the breed can do.
Dayboo Samuel won the long reining event in the Clydedale section with Grace English, who was at her first Ashburton Show. The pair went on to get the Reserve Champion sash for the breed.
Protheroe and Booth have qualified for the ploughing final and will be off to Hamilton in April next year to compete.
She said working with Clydesdales was a whole different skill set.
“It’s an art form.”
She said it was important to get the younger generation involved before the art was lost.
Ashburton A&P Association president Victor Schikker said the show had one of the biggest crowds ever on Saturday.
On Friday show attendance was down because of the weather.
“We had snow for the first time ever, I think,” he said.
Fortunately the snow shower was brief.
Schikker said the Friday night festival was successful.
“We’ll do it again and hope for better weather.”
Bug man Ruud Kleinpaste was a big hit with all generations and the theme of bugs, bees and butterflies was “well embraced”.
Schikker said he had a huge spider crawling over his head, and kids lining up to touch the spider.
Another highlight was the Trans-Tasman sheep dog trials with New Zealand winning the Wayleggo Cup.
The Australian team thought it was great to hold the trials at a public event rather than a secluded field – even though they lost, Schikker said.
By Sharon Davis
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