27 July 2011

Competing for showing success

Farmers working towards winning a top title during this spring’s showing season can begin preparations with entries now open for the Canterbury A&P Show, held Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 November at Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch.

Canterbury hosts the largest Agricultural and Pastoral Show in the country with organisers anticipating another year of close to 7,000 livestock and feature competition entries, comprising more than 3,000 animals battling it out in over 1,700 classes including sections for horse/pony, beef/dairy cattle, sheep, alpaca, llama, pig, wool, goat, dog trials, poultry, shearing & woolhandling, woodchopping and vintage machinery.

A new addition to this year’s horse schedule is the Gypsy Cob. Resembling a Clydesdale, the Gypsy Cob was traditionally used to pull heavy wagons of travelling Gypsies during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Gypsy Cob of today is recognisable by its amazing feathering that starts from the knees and goes down to the hooves. Only introduced to New Zealand in 2005, the Gypsy Cob section is sure to become popular viewing with Show visitors.

The Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zealand is celebrating its centenary in 2011 and will once again be in full force at this year’s Show. In addition to their showing classes the Clydesdale section will be putting on daily displays in the StableMateTM Arena at the Show. The displays will include wagon teams, ridden Clydesdales, log skidding and sledging. “We’re hoping to have close to 35 horses entering the Clydesdale section at this year’s Show, including previous Supreme Champions. With 35 Clydesdales competing, an international judge and daily displays, it promises to be something pretty special” commented section convenor Jamie Hawkins.

In addition to showing success, exhibitors and competitors will be vying for over $100,000 in prize money at the 2011 Canterbury A&P Show. Canterbury will also be continuing its exhibitor subsidies, offered to North Island and Southland exhibitors who have to travel great distances to attend the Show.

The Schedule of Classes for the 2011 Canterbury A&P Show can be downloaded at www.theshow.co.nz. Entries close mid to late September for most sections.

ENDS

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