Show association has windfall

Press, 12 November 1977, Page 24

Show association has windfall

Fine weather has brought a financial windfall to the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

Nearly $43,000 was taken at the Royal Show gates yesterday — compared with $24,326 in the previous record gatetakings two years ago. The takings for the day of the show are up $19,000 inspite of a lower attendance.

An estimated 45,000 people attended yesterday, compared with an estimated 60,000 admitted on the final day of the show in 1975. The association’s general manager (Mr T. M. R. Maskew) said that attendances over the three days of the show reached about 89,500 and were probably a record. The usual estimate was about 81,000.

“Compared with last year when the final day’s gate takings were only $13,271 it might look as though the association is the big dog taking money out of people’s pckets,” Mr Maskew said. “But last year we were down about $11,000.”

Asked to explain the comparison with the 1975 figures when 60,000 people (15,000 more than this year) produced $19,000 less than yesterday’s total, Mr Maskew said he had not given ■ the estimate of 60,000. ! “I never make a practice lof giving attendance esti- ■ mates as there are too many Mr Maskew said. Members, for example, were issued with a limited number of fress passes. The public’s response yesterday had been “fantastic,” he said describing the show as the most successful held at Addington. Mr Maskew said it was the first time he had heard no criticism of the presentation in the ring. “You could set your watch by the parade. The timing was as near perfect as it could ever be,” he said. Large crowds began to arrive at the Addington Show Grounds as soon as the day’s events started at 9 a.m. By mid-morning traffic heading for the show and the Addington races had created jams extending the length of Lincoln Road, and parking was difficult to find

within half a mile of the grounds.

The Governor-General (Sir Keith Holyoake) visited the show from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, bestowing honours on winners and admiring champions.

City children had a wonderful day, enjoying the well-patronised sideshows and fair rides, and clambering over the agricultural machinery exhibits. The sheep dog trials were perhaps the most popular event in the afternoon. The stands were packed and spectators were most appreciative as Mr R. M. Wilson, of Kirwee, and hs dog, Rose, drove three sheep through the trials in the winning time of 608 seconds.

The grand parade which followed was one of the most spectacular seen at the show. As the handlers led the cattle around the outside of the ground (Simmentals, Red Polls, Lincoln Reds, Murray Greys, and Angus bulls included) 780 horses and ponies were ridden about the centre in a magnificent display.

The show was certainly the best held at Addington, in the opinion of many regular visitors.

After the musical drive performed by 16 harness horses and ponies, the New Zealand Army Band entertained the enthusiastic crowd of about 13,000 with a sometimes stirring, sometimes hilarious, display of musical and marching versatility.

Most of the crowd stayed on to cheer the South Island on to a draw with the North in a fast-moving polo match.