Animals star at Ag Cup

Competition back to normal after Covid pandemic restrictions

Not even a worldwide pandemic or biosecurity scare could hold down a time-honoured agricultural event in Levin for long. The Horowhenua Agricultural Cup was back last week with full fields of calves, lambs and goats, having weathered a tough few years due to a mycoplasma bovis outbreak initially, and then challenges brought about by Covid-19 restrictions.

It had been three years since full crowds could attend the finals, ensuring a throng of supporters this time around. There were nine rural schools, from Te Horo to Opiki and Tokomaru entered, each holding their own preliminary competitions prior to the finals.

Club committee member Carol Christensen said it was great to see the animals and crowds return, over and above one parent per child as was the case last year.

“It was nice to have it back to normal, to be able to watch without restricted numbers and to have the calves and lambs together. It’s been a tough couple of years,” she said.

“We were a bit worried that the calves might not come back, and it’s great to see kids still dedicated and passionate.”

Christensen said the awards had been running at the Levin Showgrounds since 1930. Some of the entrants could see the names of their great-grandparents etched on some of the cups.

She said raising an animal and entering competition taught young

children valuable lessons in animal husbandry, and with some calves or lambs born as early as June, they were kept well and manicured for many months.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s raining or what, you still have to go out and feed your calf or your lamb. It’s that care and rearing of an animal where they learn so much — you have to look after them,” she said.

Meanwhile, the schools were competing in agriculture too with garden judging underway, with results to hand next week.

Results of Horowhenua Boys and Girls Agriculture Club Group Final Judging Day — Friday, November 18, 2022. CALF SECTION

Judges: Senior Calf — Rodney Hudson. Intermediate Calf — Trevor Latimer. Junior Calf — Brian Phillips.

Stewards: Senior Calf — Mike Candy, Corey Prouting. Intermediate Calf — Kyle Blenkhorn, Philip Ingram. Junior Calf — Clive McLaughlin. Announcer: Heather Haines. Hon Vet: Levin and Horowhenua Veterinary Centre.

Senior Ringcraft: 1 Cohen¯Parlato (Opiki). 2 Ashlea Watson (Ohau). 3 Frankie Hapeta-Colling (O¯ hau). VHC: Matilda Easton (Poroutawhao). HC: Natalia Claridge (O¯ piki).

Senior Care and Rearing: 1 Matilda Easton (Poroutawhao). 2 Frankie Hapeta-Colling (O¯ hau). 3 Fletcher Rider (Opiki). VHC: Cohen Parlato. HC: Natalia Claridge (Opiki). Senior Dairy Type: 1 Fletcher Rider (Opiki). 2 Matilda Easton (Poroutawhao). 3 Paige Kernohan (Koputaroa). VHC: Ashlea Watson (O¯ hau). HC: Frankie Hapeta-Colling (O¯ hau).

Intermediate Ringcraft: 1 Luka Claridge (Opiki). 2 Conrad Legg (Opiki). 3 Braxton Rider (Opiki). VHC: Ava Hapeta-Colling (O¯ hau). HC: Georgia Adlam (Opiki). Intermediate Care and Rearing: 1 Blake Unsworth¯ (Opiki). 2 Ava Hapeta-Colling (Ohau). 3 Conrad Legg (Opiki). VHC: Charlee Williams

(Opiki). HC: Azaelia Hercoe (Tokomaru). Intermediate Dairy Type: 1 Ava Hapeta-Colling (O¯ hau). 2 Charlee Williams (Opiki). 3 Ella Simonsen (Koputaroa. VHC: Blake Unsworth (Opiki). HC: Conrad Legg (Opiki). Junior Ringcraft: 1 Jackson Legg (Opiki). 2 Troy Seymour (Opiki). 3 Levi Simpson (Poroutawhao). VHC: MacKenzie Hutton-Reardon (Koputaroa). HC: Alliet Rider (Opiki).

Junior Care and Rearing: 1 MacKenzie Hutton-Reardon (Koputaroa). 2 Jackson Legg (Opiki). 3 Kaylee Unsworth (Opiki). VHC: Alliet Ryder (Opiki). HC: Mya Nickalls (Opiki).

Junior Diary Type: 1 Jackson Legg (Opiki). 2 MacKenzie HuttonReardon (Koputaroa). 3 Laura Burnell (Ohau). VHC: Levin Simpson (Poroutawhao). HC: Mya Nickalls (Opiki). Champion Ringcraft — David Aitchison Memorial Cup and Ribbons: Cohen Parlato (Opiki). Rider Cup (Reserve Champion): Jackson Legg (Opiki). Champion Calf — Mr and Mrs K Shaw Memorial Cup/Kevin Morgan Memorial Ribbon: Blake Unsworth (Opiki). Tui Trading Cup — reserve champion: Ava Hapeta-Colling (O¯ hau).

Champion Dairy Type — Gordon Hill Trophy: Jackson Legg (O¯ piki). Reserve: Ava Hapeta-Colling (O¯ hau).

Yearling — Care and Rearing and Dairy Type — Ivan Holder Memorial Cup and Horowhenua Boys and Girls AG Club Trophy: Alphie Candy-Mason (Tokomaru). Reserve: Georgia Adlam (Opiki).

BEEF SECTION

Open top Senior and Junior beef

calves including bulls and dairy beef

1 (Affco Cup) Troy Seymour (Opiki). 2 (Adlam Family Cup) Grayson Parlato (Opiki). 3 Cohan Parlato (Opiki). VHC: Georgia Adlam (Opiki). HC: Brody Smythe (O¯ hau). Best Presented Group-Club Shield: O¯ hau (Ava Hapeta-Colling, Frankie Hapeta-Colling, Ashlea Watson. 2 Opiki A (Fletcher Rider, Braxton Rider, Alliet Rider). 3 Opiki B (Luka Claridge, Blake Unsworth, Kaylee Unsworth). 4 Koputaroa (MacKenzie Hutton-Reardon, Ella Simonsen, Paige Kernohan).

LAMB SECTION

Senior

Judge: Diana Timms. Steward: Tim Mansell, Hannah Bradbury, Anita Lancaster. Announcer: Heather Haines. Hon Vet: Levin and Horowhenua Veterinary Centre. Senior Lamb — Best Pet Lamb: 1 Flynn Treleaven (Opiki). 2 Monique Herbert (Koputaroa). 3 Steph

Watson (Waitohu). VHC: Tahlia Parata (Poroutawhao). HC: Kyra Walsh (O¯ hau).

Senior Care and Rearing (Tararua Cup): 1 Kyra Walsh (O¯ hau). 2 Flynn Treleaven (Opiki). 3 Tahlia Parata (Poroutawhao). VHC: Steph Watson (Waitohu). HC: Lexi Shaw (Tokomaru).

Junior

Judge: Mark Rolston. Stewards: Rob Gaskin, Will Gaskin. Announcer: Heather Haines. Hon Vet: Levin and Horowhenua Vet Centre.

Best Pet Lamb: 1 Emily Bradbury (Koputaroa). 2 Lucy Knight (Koputaroa). 3 Archie Murray (Te Horo). VHC: Oakley Beaumont. HC:

Madison Renner (Ohau). ¯

Care and Rearing — Ringawhati Cup: 1 Angus Easton (Poroutawhao). 2 Emily Bradbury (Koputaroa). 3 Lucy Knight (Koputaroa). VHC: Conrad Williams (O¯ hau). HC: Millar Adlam (O¯ piki). Champion Lamb and Reserve Champion — Levin Sheep Farmers Cups (selected from first place in senior and junior): Champion: Emily Bradbury (Koputaroa). Reserve: Flynn Treleaven (Opiki).

KID SECTION

Judge: Carol Christensen. Announcer: Heather Haines. Vet: Levin and Horowhenua Vet Centre.

Best Kid: 1 Connor Trevethick (Koputaraoa).

Care and Rearing: 1 Connor Trevethick (Kop).

Senior: Champion Kid — Gebbie Cup: 1 Kayla Trevethick.

Best Care and Rearing — Squire Sheild: 1 Kayla Trevethick.

Laura Burnell, 6, from Ohau ¯ School, pictured with her calf Buttercup.

Elessia Andrews, 9, from O¯ hau School, with Almond at the Horowhenua Agricultural Club finals.

Judge Diana Timms inspects Evie, who belongs to Poroutawhao School student Tahlia Parata, 12.

Alexis McLeod, 7, from Koputaroa School, shows how well her lamb Bella is trained at the Horowhenua Agriculture Club finals.

Club patron Jean Pedley presents Flynn Treleaven with the ribbon for best senior lamb.

The quinella in the senior calf dairy section — Fletcher Ryder, 12, with Milly, and Matilda Easton, 10, with Daisy.

Grayson Parlato, 9, from Opiki ¯ Primary School with his entry called Jaffa. They received a Very Highly Commended ribbon.

Ava Hapeta-Colling, from O¯ hau School, with Gingerbread who won several ribbons.