Adelle Ballantyne, 9, took out the three top placings in the children’s vegetable and fruit models, as well as placing second with a cake and a vase of flowers at the Woodville show.
Adelle Ballantyne, 9, took out the three top placings in the children’s vegetable and fruit models, as well as placing second with a cake and a vase of flowers at the Woodville show.
There was intense competition at the 129th Woodville Horticultural and Industrial Show on Saturday, but unlike a previous show, no fur was flying.
"There's no show like this one," Woodville's Ralph Mountfort said. "It's a terrific show and I've been involved for 40 years now."
Dennis Rodgers of Feilding (left) and Dennis Clifton of Levin, judged the open and novice sections at the show.
However, while Mr Mountfort firsthelped out by moving trestle tables and setting up for the show, he also had a part to play the year fur flew in the hall.
"Years ago, when we still had the old hall, Kevin Eades' dad and I were here as the wonderful fruit and vegetable exhibits were staged when we noticed possums running across the beams, eyeing up the food on offer below," he said. "So I went off to the get my new gun and took at pot shot at the critters.
"Woodville's temporary policeman walked in to arrest Mr Eades and me, but we were only trying to save the show."
Mr Mountfort has a passion for dahlias and on Saturday one of his stunning blooms took out the reserve champion prize. But he was even more delighted by the success of his 2-year-old great, granddaughter, Ava Tatere, who won the best vegetable animal prize in her age group. Ava is also the great granddaughter of Dannevirke's Hepa Tatere.
"We want to encourage the children because they're the future of this show," Mr Mountfort said. "I really don't know how the show keeps going, but I think it's down to the enthusiasm of those who support it."
Society president Kevin Eades is following in the footsteps of his brother, father and grandparents, who all had their time at the helm of the show.
"We've hundreds and hundreds of entries in more than 200 classes from Masterton, Feilding, Dannevirke, Woodville, Waikanae and Ohau."
Mr Eades had champion gladioli in show, but he also grows dahlias, roses and hydrangeas.
And the secret to his success often rests on Woodville's water supply.
"If we get the right weather, have plenty of water, the flowers are good to go," he said. "Now at home I save water in big drums."
With the hall packed with an amazing array of flowers, fruit and vegetables, judges had a difficult time deciding the winners.
Dennis Rodgers was judging the flowers in the open section, but he's also been entering the show himself for the past 50 years and took out the champion rose prize on Saturday.
"You have to have patience and be able to accept the conditions," he said. "And winning comes down to the little things like staging. For the season we've had, the quality is very good and the top blooms would hold their own in any show I've judged, including New Plymouth,"
Dennis Clifton of Levin, judged the novel section and also took out champion bloom in show."It's all fun," he said.
