Special Feature: Wairarapa A&P Show 2024 by NZFarmer

WAIRARAPA A&PSHOW WAIRARAP

CHESTER ROAD, CARTERTON

TICKETS: GATE SALE/EVENTBRITE.CO.NZ

2-3 NOVEMBER 2024

SAT&SUN 9am-4pm

FREE ENTRY FRIDAY NIGHT, 5pm UNTIL LATE PROUDLY

ADULT $10 | OVER 65’S &CHILDREN $5 FAMILY $20 2adults &2 children | UNDER 5’S FREE

COME ALONG ALONG THIS WEEKEND THIS

WELCOMEM tothe A&P Show from MelvinPike,W

Melvin Pike (right), in his role as Presidentofthe Wairarapa A&P Societywelcomes locals and visitors alike to the 145TH A&P ShowheldFriday 1November to Sunday3 November this year,at the Clareville Showgrounds

Something foreveryone Wairarapa’s A&P Showisall about families enjoying the ‘townmeets country’environment, andit’sall about the animals.Children canlet go and have fun on the rides,participatein the Scavenger Hunt,watch thehorse events,displaytheir pet calf or lamb, investigate the pet corner,and dip hot chips into tomato saucebeforeriding the milk barreltrain. Quintessential, wholesome,New Zealand fun.

But there’s something forthe adults too-they can enjoywatching the experts undertake sheep shearing, wood chopping,racing lawn mowers,

andliftingheavy weights,aswell as taking in the fencing competitionand livestock displays.

Thereare multiple stalls and displays showcasing waresfor sale,and old and new farm machinery. The stadium is devoted to the sortof creativityweassociate with living on the farm-baking thatwill make yousalivate, sewing,knitting and weaving,woodworkand woodturning, gardening,photographyand more Fridaynight’sentry is free to the Mahon’s attractions,Top Townsfor schools and local school bands.The entireshowisopen from 9.00am on Saturdayand Sunday.

Ourcommunity spirit

Underpinning it all is Wairarapa’s sense of identityand community. A grand parade will be held on Sunday, 3November at the A&P Showgrounds, allowing our rural identitytobe reflectedand applauded.Therewill be sponsors driving their sign-written vehicles,trade exhibitors,pet calves and lambs,and horses completewith their ribbons

TheA&P Showgrounds themselves exemplify our district’ssense of communityand the rural ethos of pitching in, with manyhands making lightwork. Thestadium, fencing,cattle pavilion and more have allbeen built onthe showgrounds over the years by volunteer labour.And the A&P Show

itselfisonly possible because of all the committed volunteers and generous sponsors.

Melvin says “the A&P Societycan’t thank our volunteers and sponsors enough.”

Cartertonisthe placetobe 1-3 November 2024

Thousands areexpectedtoconverge on the showgrounds each day, and the committee improves the traffic managementprocedures year on year

TheA&P Show’scommittee is always looking fornew volunteers and members.Ifyou’d like to findout more, go to www.wairarapashow.co.nz and send off an email

EMAP,WairarapaA&P Show

WAIRARAPAA&P SHOW WAIRARAPA A&PSHOW

WAIRARAPAA&P SHOWPROGRAMME*

Friday 1 November

MORNING

7am - Trade Sites maybegin setting up

AFTERNOON

2-4pm - Home Industries -entries forcooking and garden sectionsto be at the Stadium.

4pm - Stadium closed forjudging ofhome industryentries

EVENING

5.30pm - TopTeam competition forschools

6pm - Bandsplay, and Mahons SideShowopens.

OPEN ALL DAYSATURDAY

&SUNDAY FROM 9AM: Pets corner,poultrydisplay, Fonterra train, vintage machinery, home industryexhibits in the Stadium, children’s art(over 900 pieces) in the TomBubb room. * Times mayvaryonthe day

Saturday 2November

MORNING

7.30am - Dogtrials start behind the bar and food court.

8.30am - Equestrian events commence. Woodchopping starts 9am - Turton’s ‘BangOff’ Fencing Competitioncommences. Prizegiving at the conclusion.

Coloured Sheep display– fleeceto garment, blade shearing,spinners &weavers.Exhibition of the home industries reopens in the Stadium.

9.30am - Beef cattle judging begins Guess the weightofLokithe Bull Shearing demonstration begins. Spinners demonstration begins 10am - Mahons Side Showopens Black and coloured sheep display starts.LawnMower Racing begins Strongman &woman competitionMaxAxelPress

10.30am - Magician (children’s entertainment)

Sunday3 November

MORNING

7.30am - Dogtrials resume.

8.30am - Equestrian events resume. Woodchopping begins Sheep Shearing competitionbegins

9.30am Sheep judging begins 10am - Mahons Side Showopens Lawn MowerRacing begins Strongman &WomancompetitionSuper Yoke Carry. Displayofbeef

11.45am- Strongman &Woman competition-Natural Stone to Shoulder.

AFTERNOON

12.30pm - Magician (children’s entertainment) 1pm - Strongman &Woman competition-Deadliftfor Reps 2pm - Magician (children’s entertainment)

InteractiveHighland display. Guess the weightofLokithe Bull

10.30am- Magician (children’s entertainment) 11am - Calf club judging commences Strongman &WomancompetitionOverhead Medley

11.30am - Petlambjudging commences

AFTERNOON

12.30pm - Magician (children’s entertainment) Petdog competition. 1pm - Strongman &Woman competition-Sandbag Carry MaxDistance Wairarapa Fern &Thistle Pipe Band

1.30pm - Grand parade

2.30pm - Magician (children’s entertainment) 3pm - Scavenger huntprizesdrawn.

SCAVENGER HUNT

Proudly sponsored by Wairarapa Hunting &Fishing and the Wairarapa Times-Age, thegreat scavenger hunt challenge takes placeduring the A&P Showon2and 3 November.

Clip out this scavenger huntmap and entryformorpick one up from your school,then followthe discoverytrail around the A&P showgrounds.

2-3 NOVEMBER2024

AMAZING PRIZES TO BE WON

Collectaletter from each of theseven sites marked with aspecialscavenger huntflag and assemble the letters to make aword. Placethe wordson your completed form andthen hand it in at the Children’s Artareaofthe showgrounds

Allcompleted entries will receive, forfree, aride on asideshow, drink & punnet of chips

Vouchers from WairarapaHunting & Fishing to be wonfor eachage group: 3-6 years, 7-9years, 10-13years

MAHONSAUMSEMENTS will DOUBLETHE FUN on FRIDAYNIGHT

First two hours (6pm-8pm) -pay for your rideand when it stops, stay on boardand get asecond spin for FREE ! (Straight away,sameperson same ride-Friday night only).

–FRIDAYNIGHTONLY–

WAIRARAPA A&PSHOW FRIDAY1ST -SUNDAY3RD NOV

• Equestrianevents • Dog trials • Livestock Competitions • Trade exhibits • Sizzler • Hurricane • Ghost Train • Games • Dodgems • Food andofcourse the Carnival! The fun continuesall weekend, with all the actionwhere town meets country! APA A & P SHOW • FREEENTRY

CARNIVAL RIDES &AMUSEMENTS

Friday night moonlight madness

With FREE ENTRY and entertainment and fun galore, Fridaynightatthe A&P Showwill be ablast.Children will competeinthe TopTeam events out on the turf, starting at 5.30pm. Children and young people will vie for prizes (kindly sponsored by Mahons Amusements) as they pit against each other in light-heartedeventssuchas sack races, spoon races, dribbling the ball and more.

From 6pm, Mahons Amusements’ Sideshowisopen forbusinessalong with the food carts sellingall our favourites.From6pm, you’ll also be able to dancethe nightawaytolive music

Thefun continues all weekendand ride coupons areavailable from carnival ticket box, eftpos &cash sales, cash only forgames and carnival food

Racing Lawn Mowers

TheEketāhuna Lawn MowerRacing (LMR) Club will be out in full force, driving their beastswith speed and vigour.The Club says that‘LMR’offers a “great social atmospherefor all ages”. But don’t tryracing your mowerat home,folks.Lawnmower racing really is athing,but lawn mowers must be pimped to the appropriate standards and safetygear worn.Ifyou fall off (which apparently happensfrequently) the mowermust automatically shut down. New Zealand’s Lawn Mower Racing Association says “racing

mowers mightseem silly,which it sort of is,but youcan get hurtifyou’renot careful.Sobesafe.”

Lawn mowerracing is one of the cheapestforms of motorsportinNew Zealand, in which Kiwi sportsmanship, ingenuity, and senseofhumour meet

Outlaw country for the consummate entertainer

Wayne R. Heath hasenjoyed well over 50 years of experienceasasinger/ entertainer and promoter of country music in New Zealander,Australia and the United States.

Nowresiding withhis wifein Masterton, hisact has become extremely popular.It’sfree of breaks,has comedy,and is simply continuous dancing and singing.Wayne R. Heath’s unique voiceperformsall the major hits: rock,rock and roll,country, blues,and

Māorihits.His style is oftencalled ‘OutlawCountry’.He’sgot more than 600 songs ready to go,and is a talentedentertainer, interspersing his song list with requests from the audienceand ‘spruiking’, jollying the audiencealong and making them laugh. TheA&P Showisthrilled to be able to welcome back Wayne R. Heath in 2024.

HORSES

This year at the Wairarapa A&P Show, the horse events focus on local showjumping,showing,and hunters.You can seethe schedules and rules forthisyear’s competitions on EvoEvents at www.evoevents.co.nz

Showing, Breed &Harness Classes

Riders andaudienceswill be spoilt forchoiceoverboth days of the A&P Showthis year,with Welsh Pony & Cob, Standardbred Classes,Local RecreationalHorse or Pony,Gypsy Cob, Pinto, Arab,Golden Horse, Miniature Horse,Working HunterHorse,Hunter Jumping Horse,Working HunterPony,

HunterJumping Pony,First Ridden, Lead Rein, ShowPonies,Riding Horse, Saddle HunterHorse Classes,Saddle Hunter Pony Classes,ParkHack & Hacks,PleasureCourse and Pony Classes,Harness Classes,and the NZTR Thoroughbred A&P ShowSeries

Showjumping

Jumping is recognised internationally as the most popular equestrian discipline and is an exciting and rewarding sportfor all levels and agegroups

Showjumping at the 2024 Wairarapa A&P Showcan be seen in rings 1and 2 on both Saturdayand Sunday. There’s everything from Introand Hack to Take Your OwnLine

Sundaywill see abreak early in the afternoon fora Grand Parade,inwhich horsesand their riders cantake part, proudly wearing their ribbons

Show Hunter

ShowHunteristhe technical artof jumping.Inaddition to leaving the rails up,the horse must demonstrate asuperior natural jumping style along with alevel of training to make a balanced ride.

Jumping aShowHuntercourse demands skill and discipline to be able to ride apredetermined number of strides between relatedfences, as well as maintain an even rhythm throughout the round

ShowHunterentrantsthis year will be competingfor TheQuentin Donald Jump BunnyMemorial Trophyand the Laddie Burdett MemorialTrophy.

Wairarapa College

Preparingfor lifewith

INSPIRINGFUTURE FARMERS

Wairarapa College is proud to be educatingthe next generation. Ourrenowned Agriculture Departmentisled by ateamof passionate educators and mentors and is equippedwith some of thebest facilitiesfor secondary agricultural learning in the country.

Studentslearnthe science and practicalprinciples of agriculture, horticultureand otherprimary industrieson22hectares of fully operationalfarmland which, in part, is made available by the MastertonTrustLandsTrust. The inclusive programme welcomes studentsfroma wide range of backgrounds to explore acareer in farming.

Supply and install water pumps, sewerage pumps and waterfilters

Emptyseptic tanks and grease traps

Wairarapaagent for Devan tanks (600 to 30,000 litres)

Deliver 14,000 litres of drinking water

Supply andinstall Showerdome shower tops

KIDS &ANIMALS

Pet corner

This will be adrawcardatthe A&P Showthis year.You’ll get to see alpacas,rabbits,guinea pigs,chooks, geese, kune kune pigs,aminiature horse and ablackewe with twin lambs. The rabbitsand guinea pigs can be cuddled, and other animals patted Children can also feed the animals (feed supplied). Thecountryiscoming to town.

Calf club classes

Sundayisthe dayfor the calfclub classes. There’sring craft, careand handling of the calf, andheifer calf type –all for differentage groups of children. There areprizesgaloreand trophies forthe champions.Therewill also be anovice class and afancy-dress competition.

Pet lamb competition

Thepet lambcompetition is to be held on Sundaymorning with awards, trophies,and ribbons forring craft, careand attention, black face, white face, non-whitemixed coloured,and fancydress –each fordifferentages of childrenfrompreschool to Year 8.

Ring craftincludes leading your lamb on aleash and the lamb comingwhen called

Black and coloured sheep

Awards forblack and coloured sheep arecomingback to the A&P Show. Targeting the lifestyle blockers,the showhas partnered with the Black & Colored Sheep Breeders Association. Thereare prizes and ribbons for black or coloured ewe, anyage, shornorwoolly,with morethan one lamb at foot,with each lamb to be a different colour.Judging will focus on conformation, constitution, and variations of colour.

Petdog competition

Guess the weight of Loki the bull

While you’re down at the cattle pavilion, youcan enterthe ‘guess the weightofLoki’ competitionatthe Highland Cattle Societystand.The closest entrywill win a$100 prize.

Eightyear old Loki is arather gorgeous Scottish Highland bull who will still be wearing his thick black wintercoat.

Another attraction this year is the pet dog competition, to be held on Sunday. Thereare lots of classes, so check those out in the PetDog Schedule on the Wairarapa A&P Show website. Petdogs can include large, small,rescue,purebred,cross breed, or achild’s pet dog.You can bring working dogs with either arough or smooth coat.And there’safancy-dress dog competition in whichyou can dress your dog like atradieormatch your dress-up with thatofyour dog Lots of prizes forchampionsand consolation classes

The cows are coming

More than twodozen beef cattle are comingtothe A&P Showthis year, including Galloways,Highlands, Australian Lowlines,Dexter, Red Devon, Simmental,Herefords,and Charolais

Lisa Hollowayisbringing her Highlands from Otaki. Other beef owners arecoming from as far away as Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay, and Taranaki. Lisa says the showing will be held on Saturday, and apublic displayof the Highlands will take placeboth afterSaturday’sshowing as well as on Sunday.

In addition, “people can step into the pavilion and watch the cattle being prepped forthe show,”Lisa says.“You’ll findusatthe cattle pavilion down by Gate 1onChester Road.”

Lisa givesashout out to her beef sponsors: Fagan Motors Ltd, Tower GatesLtd,Gray’sContracting Ltd, and Cooper Farm Services

Loki the Bull

WAIRARAPAA&P SHOW WAIRARAPA A&PSHOW

Make and Bake Off

Wairarapa’s annual A&P Shows have aproud historyofsupportinghome industriesand crafts,which arethe specialityof farms and farmhouses across Wairarapa.

Forastart,there’sanexhibitionof children’s artwith all the schools participating and morethan 1,200 pieces of artexpected. Thereare also exhibitions,ribbons,and prizes forcooking, photography, woodwork, homegrown vegetables, flowers,spinning andweaving,and needleworkand crafts

In the spinning,weaving and felting section, just afew of the classes include skeins of very fine wool,skeins of natural fibre, ahat,ababyshawl or blanket,apair of glovesorsocks,

and a“neck or shoulder garment, any technique”. Forphotography, classes include “action of the farm,”“capturing the moment,”fungi, skyscape,and many others.The gardeningsection is well-patronised everyyear,including fruit and veges (such as “four pods of broad beans”),aswell as the stems of dozens of different types of flowers

Thebaking section will have us all salivating.Pizza and pies,ginger gems and bread savouries,muffins and loaves, hokey pokey biscuits,peanut brownies …and so much more. Last year,three children from one family wontheir age-relatedsectionsfor their cooking

Andthe woodworking section is something else-the skill of the craftsmen and women whoenter these competitions has to be seen to be believed

Wellington Free Ambulance

WFAwill be onsiteatthe Clareville A&P Showgrounds,providing medical services forthe public, volunteers,and contestants

Magical powers

Andrew Wilson, aMagic Circle Master Magician and experienced live entertainer,together with Zappo the Magician, aproud member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, will delightthe crowds as they weave their spells all weekend long

Riding the Milk Train

Fonterra,one of the Wairarapa A&P Show’ssponsors,will be out in force with the Fonterra Highgate Farm milkbarreltrain, promoting ‘dairyfor life’

Themilk-barrel milk train is anod to the real milktrains thatrun everyday throughout the milking season(about seven months ayear), travelling from the Manawatūand Tararua districts to Fonterra’s factory in Taranaki. Thekids love it

TORQUE. TOOLS. TECHNIQUES.

Four competitions at this year’s A&P Showwillpit our mighty local farmers and forestryworkers against each other as well as against visiting muscle.The winners will be crowned victorious

Turton Farm Supplies is super excited to be delivering afirst forthe North Island,amassive, fast and dieselpowereddoubles fencing competition: the ‘Bang Off’.

Some of the biggest names in the game from the length and breadth of the North Island will descend on the Clareville Showgrounds forthe first running of thisevent at the Wairarapa

A&P show. Onecontestantiseven travelling from the USA.

Teamswill hammer it out,driving strainers and posts beforewiring up and swinging gatestoraceinfor the fastest timeand highest qualityfinish. Saturdaymorning,the paddock will come aliveasthe engines fireup. Don’tturnuplate, these guysdon’t muck around

WAIRARAPAA&P SHOW

TORQUE. TOOLS.TECHNIQUES. (CONTINUED)

Strongestman &woman competitions

Atwo-day event, Wellington’s Strongest Man& Womancompetition will include six events: three per day. Men’sand women’s classes and multiple weightcategories areonoffer.

Athletes aretravelling from all around the NorthIsland to compete, as they build towardsnational and international strongman and woman events.It’sgoing to be momentous

Saturdaywill include: MaxAxle Press; Natural Stone to Shoulder;and Deadliftfor Reps competitions.The Sundaycompetitions are: Super Yoke head Carry istance.

Shearing and woolhandling competitions: cutting and throwing adash

As partoftheir preparation for the February/March 2025 Golden Shears competition, shearers and woolhandlers from around New Zealand will descend on the A&P Showthis year.The skill levels go from novice, through junior,intermediate, and seniorclasses,aswell as open classes

Last year’s winners at Wairarapa’s A&P Showincluded Hemi Braddick from Eketāhuna in the Open Shearing Finals and Jasmin AporaTiokifromNapier in the Open Woolhandling Finals (Eketāhuna’s Ngaio Hansen came in third).

This year,aseries of shearing demos will be held throughout the dayon

Saturday. Allan Grant, long-time Carterton-based shearing contractor andGolden Shearscommittee member,saysit’s95% likely that he’ll be involved in the demonstrations Allan also oversees the A&P Show’s shearing and wool handling competitions.“Thecompetitionsstart at 8.30am on Sundaythis year,and they’ll go all day,”Allan says.Shearers and woolhandlers can enteronthe day. Allan reckons the competitions will be buzzing this year,because Manawatuisholding its shearing and woolhandling competitionson the Saturdaythatsame weekend. “Competitors will be comingfromfar and wide to do back-to-back days of competing,”Allan says

2-3 NOVEMBER2024

Woodchopping competition: you chop!

Wholebody training is said to be essential in preparation forthe woodchopping competitions.In New Zealand,these date back to the 1870s,promoting our pioneering and rugged axemen and sawyers. Woodchopping is athrillingsport, combining athleticism, technique, powerand strength.

Quintin Fawcett from Tuatahi RacingAxesand Saws is in charge of organising the Woodchopping competition, and it’s asolid choice. For the past 40 years,three generations of the Fawcett family have been making racingaxesand saws forcompetitive woodchoppers rightaround the world, and all from their small factory on the outskirts of Masterton.

Eddie Fawcett,the son of an axeman himself,startedchopping as a15-yearold and startedthe business in 1982. Nowinhis 80s,hereceived aQueen’s ServiceMedal forservices to the sport in 2019. Hisson Grantand grandson Quintin sharehis love of the sportGrantrepresenting New Zealand at one stage and Quintin coming up the ranks too.

AleishaMaree AleishaMaree

This year’s woodchopping at the A&P Showincludes a‘Hot SawCompetition’. Theaim of the Hot Sawdiscipline is to use aracing chainsaw to cut three wooden discs as quickly as possible within 15 cm of the horizontally anchored wooden block witha diameter of 46 cm

Quintin says,“the sawI’ll be using is acustom-built 325ccWankel engine saw. Andthe chain speed on these saws can reach up to 250 km/hr.” This extreme sportisnot forthe fainthearted.