Rain keeps some away but lollies rained at show
A third of stallholders registered to attend the Southern Canterbury A&P Show on Saturday failed to show up on the day, organisers putting the poor attendance down to weather.
‘‘We pre-sold about 60 stalls but unfortunately because of the drizzle about 20 stallholders did not attend,’’ manager Reto Oswald said.
It is not the first time the show has been impacted by inclement weather; in 2016 the show had to be cancelled due to heavy rain flooding the grounds.
However, there was plenty to celebrate in 2019 – with the return of a cattle section to the show after organisers were forced to cancel it last year due to the outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis.
Oswald said he was pleased to see cattle make a return to the show.
He said the inclement weather also kept some of the crowd away from the ninth show at the Waimate Showgrounds but the response this year was generally good.
‘‘We asked people about what they thought – they said it was a good show despite the weather.
‘‘It had enough entertainment and enough animals and other attractions but the weather was against us.’’
He said that while machinery was definitely a highlight and attracted big crowds, the highlight of the show for them was the people that attended.
‘‘On Saturday we had about 1600 people on the grounds, including 1300 paid entries, and we estimate there were probably between 100 and 300 trade exhibitors.
‘‘It showed us that even in bad weather we have a community that supports our show and that was extraordinary.’’
But for many of those attending, a spur of the moment decision to use a crane to deliver a massive lolly scramble is likely to be one the highlights.
Oswald said they lifted a cage 80 metres into the air to release the lolly scramble which rained down on the show’s main ring.
‘‘That was unplanned, just spur of the moment.
‘‘We thought the crane was just doing nothing so we asked the crane driver to lift up the cage leading to the lolly scramble – I think that was a highlight.
‘‘There were a few hundred kids chasing the lollies falling to the ground so it rained lollies from the sky!
‘‘Luckily kids in the ring were wearing helmets because some got hit by them but a great deal of fun was had by all.’’
Other entertainment included a petting zoo featuring alpacas, donkeys, rabbits, poultry, goats, sheep and horses.