The crowd at the Wairoa A&P Show, in 2023, less than four weeks before Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Doug Laing
The crowd at the Wairoa A&P Show, in 2023, less than four weeks before Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Doug Laing
For 125 years, the Wairoa A&P Show has been delighting attendees.
Yet as it marks the special occasion, it also commemorates the final year before a significant location shift brought on by the flood mitigation scheme, in which the long-negotiated flood spillway will go through the grounds on Ruataniwha Rd.
President Michael Thomas said the final show would go on as usual and he wanted to extend a special invitation to A&P Show members to offer feedback and suggestions for a future location.
Thomas said the aim was “getting their feel on where we need to go going forward, we have got an idea in our own minds where we think we need to be heading, but also get opinions of other members”.
He said there was mixed sentiment about the move, but hope for what the 2027 location could offer.
“It’s mixed feelings, it’s sad to leave the grounds that so many people have put a lot into over the years ... but also looking forward to new beginnings at another venue when we have settled on something.”
Thomas said he believed it was the right decision to move out of the showgrounds for the greater good of the Wairoa people.
“It is about the community and sacrificing the showgrounds for the protection of people’s houses and assets; it is the right thing to be doing.”
Wairoa A&P president Michael Thomas at the showgrounds, where the annual show will be held on January 16 and 17 for the last time. Photo / Doug Laing
Thomas said they were not steadfast on a future location and were open to ideas, however, Wairoa Racecourse was proving to be the leading prospect.
“We are looking at a couple of different options, but the racecourse is certainly the strongest contender of it.”
Thomas said the hope was to set up an events centre as a community-owned asset that could be utilised for the show, but also other community events, and functions.
“We want to make it fairly seamless, so it won’t actually be designed as a showgrounds as such, we will use the buildings and the facilities that are there for a show.”
He said their aim was to ensure the show was relevant, but remained agriculture- and farming-focused.
“These shows are changing all the time and the wants and needs of the community are different now from what they were 30 or 40 years ago and we want to future-proof ourselves.
“The big thing is how we do that ... and we certainly want to keep it agricultural, we don’t want to end up as so many shows do as a lifestyle fair.”
With a show entry fee this year of $5 for all and under-5s free on Friday; and $10 per adult, under-12s $5 and under-5s free on Saturday, Thomas said they promised to have all the usual fan favourites.
He said the show would provide the fun outlet that the community needed, with a “low-key” Friday, including speed shearing and the local rodeo.
“Wairoa has had a beating over the last three years with weather events, and people are actually looking forward to something to bring a bit of happiness.”
Saturday’s family fun day promises equestrian, more shearing and open rodeo action along with Jake the Stunt Bike, trade stalls, the Clydesdales, rides and bouncy castles, mini jeeps and the annual scotch thistle competition.
“We get all sorts of scotch thistles, some of them are quite exceptional, the height and breadth of it all ... dig it out roots and all and bring it along.”
Gates are open from 4.30pm to 8.30pm on Friday and 8.30am to 4pm on Saturday.
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
