More judges needed to keep ag days alive
Agricultural days at school are always popular among children, but finding judges can be hard.
Alf Cox has been the president of a Waikato Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Group for 15 years, and said it has been difficult to find judges, particularly for the lamb section.
He said there is a dire need for judges and if no one comes forward, the threat of winding the events up is very real.
He puts it down to more adults working in the business sector than at home.
‘‘Back in the old days a lot of people didn’t enter the mainstream workforce, there were a lot more farmersthat had spare time,’’ he said.
Ag Days - as the events are fondly called - take place in October every year, with children participating with a lamb, calf or kid (baby goat).
But the school events take place during business hours instead of weekends, which makes it hard for judges to attend.
Cox said prior judging experience wasn’t necessary as people can be trained on what to look for, but people with a rural background that took part in ag days as children would be ideal.
‘‘But it’s open to all ages,’’ he said.
Sometimes there up to 50 animals per event, so it can get busy.
Each rural school has its own ag day, then there is a combined day for all the schools in the area.
Then if the children want to, they can compete at the Waikato Show.
Cox said a lot of students come down from Auckland to take part in the Waikato Show.
‘‘They come and see what we do and they really enjoy it, because it’s like living on another planet for some them that come from the city,’’ he said.