Tony Thompson aims to be top at show

Tony Thompson with some of the many ribbons won by his cattle since 1974, pictured after winning the Hawke's Bay Show's Meat and Wool Cup with Glenanthony Westerly in 2010, one of 11 times the stud's stock have had their names engraved on the trophy. Photo/File.

Hawke's Bay will be well represented at the Royal Manawatu Show - by at least 26 cattle, and at least a dozen groomers and handlers.

That's the giant team of devoutly loyal beef cattle showing, with veteran and simmental breeder Tony Thompson's bulls, cows, heifers and carves numbering about five times as many as any other exhibitor in the cattle classes.

This morning they'll be loaded onto Kevin Isaacson's truck and trailer and another truck at Mr Thompson's Glenanthony Stud in Farm Rd, near Waipukurau.

After a 120km trip to Feilding, family, staff and helpers will this afternoon begin the last preparations to be ready for judging starting tomorrow at 9.30am.

Meantime, Mr Thompson, who has been showing cattle for 37 years, will have settled down with some of the team in accommodation on the grounds, in the pit garages of the Manfeild Autocourse.

The ultimate goal will be the Meat and Wool Cup, where, with big Glenanthony Yale, Mr Thompson hopes to emulate his previous Royal Show Meat and Wool Cup triumphs, achieved with Glenanthony Kauri in Hastings in 2003 (one of 11 times his stock have nailed the Hawke's Bay Show's premier trophy), and Yardstick at Hamilton in 2005 and Auckland Easter and Canterbury the following year.

There may be some special motivation this year, for at the 150th anniversary Hawke's Bay Show six weeks ago Glenanthony Yale was pipped for the Meat and Wool Cup by Dannevirke Charolais breeder Simon Collin's Rauriki Beajolais.

But the next day Central Hawke's Bay's best turned the tables on the pride of Southern Hawke's Bay in the All Breeds judging, highlighting it's all about judging on the day and what different judges think of your animals.

"We accept that," said Mr Thompson, whose helpers over the next few days include wife Glennis, daughter Kimberley, who shows dexters, her husband Mark Booth and their two children. Then there are staff Rhys Tidwell, Kerry Arnold and Susan Best, fellow CHB cattle exhibitor Susan Wylie, Massey University student Amy Hoogenbloom, and Napier Girls' High School student Nancy Crawshaw.

In one class, cows with calves, 10 people will be needed at one time to lead the animals through the ring and, mentally-noting those needed, Mr Thompson says: "I think we're still a couple (of people) short."

The bovine team includes two senior bulls among 14 yearling or older cattle, and 12 calves, boosting the numbers to among the most he's ever taken to a show.

The support won't end with the competing, for there will still be Saturday's Grand Parade, before the Glenanthony team packs-up.

The Hawke's Bay Meat and Wool-winning Rauriki Beaujolais has been sent to do his work at Maungahina Stud east of Masterton and won't be at the show, Mr Collin focusing his efforts on a smaller menagerie of two heifers and two lambs.

"I think I'd be waking up in the middle of the night and pulling my hair out if I had the numbers Tony's talking about," he said.

The Hawke's Bay influence will be seen across Manfeild Park in a variety of other spheres, notably the equestrian sports where veteran Dannevirke rider Maurice Beatson will be in the indoors world cup qualifying series on Saturday night with My Gollywog.

Hawke's Bay shearers, including Cam Ferguson, will compete in a speedshear on the same night, and in the shearing and woolhandling championships on Sunday.