Improved entries and hope for finer weather

Press, 2 March 1984, Page 17

Improved entries and hope for finer weather

Improved entries and hopefully fine weather will make the Amuri Agricultural and Pastoral Association Show at Rotherham tomorrow a popular picnic outing. A pleasant 110 km rural drive from Christchurch, Rotherham is reached by turning off highway 7, the Lewis Pass route, at the Red Post just a few kilometres north of Culverden.

Entries are about 400 up on the corresponding stage last year, with flower entries not included and some sections being post entry on show day. The horse entries have risen to the second best, being only about 43 short of the 1982 record.

Poultry exhibits have been included in the show for the first time. The poultry classes will be held in the Rotherham Hall, in a corner adjacent to the showgrounds, the first time that the show association has had to use the hall to accommodate a spillover of shed entries.

A pigeon exhibition featuring 25 breeds and assorted colours will be associated with the poultry section. The pigeon display is said to be one of the best collections in the country. Photography is another of the sections to have an upsurge this year, with a significant increase in print classes. So far, the entries total 2816 (2439 last year), but when the later closing sections are included on show day, the secretary-treasurer, Mr Kelvin Dunbar, expects the total to be about 3200.

The grounds are looking first class, probably better than for several years, with the grass beautifully green

after a favourable season,, and conditions are expected to be good for the ring events.

Continuing a policy of improvements, the association has added a spacious building as the secretarytreasurer’s office for show day. The building will serve as a committee room and general headquarters at other times.

Formerly a staff-room at the Amuri Area School, the 10m by 6m building was recently settled on its new site, close to the main show ring, where it will be a convenient hub of the show activities.

The president, Mr Bruce Thomson, hopes that a veranda will be added along the front of the new office to provide sheltered viewing of the ring. While the show allows farmers to compare the best in breeding stock in close proximity and to see other displays allied with farming, such as machinery developments, the day is a wonderful outing for town residents, giving many children the chance to see a wide range of farm animals at close range. Lamb rides will be held for children.

The show has plenty of other attractions for both rural and city dwellers. Western riding competitions are an addition to the riding competitions this year. These events will be held between the main ring and the nearby hall.

Sheep dog trials and shearing competitions are always popular, while such features as computers, Avon cosmetics, apiary products, the Intellectually Handicapped Society, the Cancer

Support Group, encyclopaedia and Trade Aid are just some of the many varied stands.

The Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Mohair Producers’ Association will have a mobile display to inform people of the role of goats in farming. As well as featuring live animals, the stand will have display boards, mohair fibre and skins.

Samples from a lamb cut competition sponsored by C. S. Stevens, Ltd, will be displayed. One lamb from each entry of three has been slaughtered, cut and packed as for export, and the other two lambs will be judged on the hoof at the show.

Entries for tomorrow’s show (with those for last year in brackets) are: Horses 1107 (987); sheep 445 (554); wool 24 (23); cattle 15 (28); dogs 23 (23); dog trials 53 (49); goats 23 (21); poultry 56 (new section); seeds 59 (35); cooking 136 (126); home industries 95 (64); needlework 206 (192); photography 345 (279); art 25 (28), woodwork 7 (5); amateur construction 2 (6); wine 14 (19); vegetables 128 (116); fruit and potatoes 48 (14); flowers, schoolwork, shearing (open, senior, intermediate, and junior) are additional.