Olympic medallist at show

Press, 2 November 1984, Page 33

Olympic medallist at show

Mark Todd, who won a gold medal for New Zealand at the Los Angeles Olympic Games, will be a major drawcard at the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral show at the Addington Showground next week. Todd, along with two _ other world class showjumping riders, John Cottle and Ann Wilson, will compete in an invitation teams; event on Thursday evening against teams from Canterbury, Southland, and a combined unit.

The three-day show, the 122nd organised by the Canterbury A. and P. Association, will run from next Wednesday through to Friday. As well as showjumping events, the show will contain a huge selection of livestock and a record number of over 230 trade exhibits.

The commercial displays will cover all available space in the showground and will give farmers the opportunity of studying the latest range of agricultural machinery. But it is not only farmers

who will benefit from the show. Many of the exhibits

will be of interest to city folk, and a wide variety of entertainment has been arranged for adults and children. On Thursday evening, the show will open until 9.30 p.m., when an exciting programme of entertainment has been organised for the main ring. Besides the showjumping of Mark Todd and his team, the programme will include a mock battle staged by the New Zealand Army, supported by the New Zealand Army Band. Other events that evening will be horse and pony obstacle competitions and dressage and Western Performance displays. The popular Army Band will perform marching displays on Thursday and Friday afternoons. For the second successive year, the show has attracted entries from New Zealand’s top shearers. The show now forms the third leg of the Caltex National circuit for open-class machine shearers which culminates in the

final at the Golden Shears in Masterton.

The shear-off for the third leg of the Caltex National circuit will take place on Thursday evening, as well as a competition between members of the New Zealand shearing team. Country and Western music will be provided during the intervals on Thursday evening by John Grennell. On Friday, blade shearers will compete for the Caltex Golden Blades title, the premier blade contest in New Zealand. As well, the final of the Dalgety-Lister all-breeds machine shearing contest will be staged. Canterbury Court will be filled ' with an interesting array of exhibits dealing with water. Friday is traditionally known as People’s Day at the show, with the farming community visiting on Thursday, and judging taking place on Wednesday. However, the association’s director, Mr Noel Woods, said the public was welcome to attend on any of the three days.