Horses and ponies dominate field

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 12

Horses and ponies dominate field

Horses and ponies make up the largest categories in this year’s Kaikoura Agricultural and Pastoral Show.

The show, which will be held at Kaikoura’s South Bay Domain on Saturday, is Kaikoura’s 74th show.

■ “It has always been predominantly a horse and pony show,” said the president of the Kaikoura Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Mr Percy Ac-ton-Adams. “This show is at the beginning of the autumn circuit of shows and many people are keen to go through them all,” he said.

A horse-jumping day follows on the Sunday and this adds extra incentive to have people bring their horses to the show.

The enthusiasm of Kaikoura’s local artists and photographers will be evident at the short.. The

photography and art sections are also large. The photography section has three classes: Open amateur photography; first time exhibition amateur photography; and school pupil amateur photography. Subjects include landscapes, seascapes, adult or child studies, animals, birds, and flowers.

The jam and pickles, wines, and cookery sections are also very popular and the entries are up in these sections.

The sheep section includes categories in flock classes and prime sheep. More sheep were shown in the past, said Mr ActonAdams, but many of those who work on the show — who are sheep farmers — didn’t have time to show their own sheep. Goat-farming has become more popular in recent years and sharefarming of goats has increased in the area. Under this scheme in-

vestors buy goats and the farmer provides the land and facilities. Goats which are a cross: breed of cashmere and angora are a new popular breed. Several competitions have been organised to entertain visitors to the show.

The shearing competition has been a regular event for the last 20 years. It is sponsored by Pyne Gould Guinness, Ltd. There are four classes: Intermediate; senior; open; and farmers and retired shearers.

A jiggerboard competition will also take place; The jiggerboard is a woodchopping competition which requires the competitor to make a hole in the log into which he or she slots a board. The competitor then climbs on to this board and repeats the process until he or she has reached the top. Once at the top the competitor cuts a 30cm log.

Show-jumping and horse racing are also features: of the show. Horses race : a 300 m sprint. The Appaldosa class and Western (Performance Cutting Association of New Zealand classes, provide a “different” form of show rid-lnfide-shows and displays have been organised for the day. The Forest Service and the Wool Board will have a display. There wil be information on goat-farming. Cars and motor-bikes will also be on display. Food, drink and lunches will be available. The local rugby club will run a licensed booth. Local schoolchildren might see some of their own work as part of the primary schools’ display. A face-painter has been organised for the day — so there will probably be a few colourful characters running round the show. A. new section this year is a dog show — the breed is not important, but obedience and fancy dress are. A baby show and a Miss Junior Kaikoura, Master Junior Kaikoura, and Miss* Junior A and P will take place after the Grand Parade. The Kaikoura association has been fortunate in being able to use the excellent facilities at the South Bay Domain. It shares facilities with the Kaikoura Trotting Club which have been constructed over the years, said Mr ActonAdams. “We share the trotting club’s building, the council has built toilets and over the years it has developed the grounds for sports, and these are available on show day,” he said.

There is plenty of parking space. Admission is $2 for adults and children 50 cents.