Three-year-old Valhalla Horsford from Maromaku leads a reluctant pet lamb named Sparkleface to the ring. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Three-year-old Valhalla Horsford from Maromaku leads a reluctant pet lamb named Sparkleface to the ring. Photo / Peter de Graaf
A bumper crowd of about 6000 people turned out to Northland's first country show of the season despite the absence of the popular calf club and cattle events.
All bovine events were cancelled at Saturday's Bay of Islands Pastoral and Industrial Show at Waimate North due to fears of spreadingthe cattle disease M. bovis.
Instead, children were encouraged to bring their pet lambs and the area usually reserved for cattle competitions hosted a series of popular AgriKids and Young Farmers challenges.
Nine-year-old Siva Horsford, of Maromaku, with her champion pet lamb named Roast.
P&I Association president Graham Moor said he was ''very happy'' with a turnout of close to 6000. The weather had played a part with overnight rain giving way to bright sunshine around 10am.
The crowd was smaller than last year but the numbers weren't comparable because the 2017 event was a royal show marking the 175th anniversary.
AgriKids competitors, from left, Nathan Cook (12, Okaihau), Bohemia Saunders (12, Waihou Valley) and Benjamin Clunie (13, Okaihau).
Moor was particularly pleased by the numbers of young families and teenagers this year.
''There seemed to be a lot more young people than usual, which is encouraging. You don't come here to hop on your screen, you come to interact.''
A police demonstration in which dogs brought down an offender armed with a gun drew a huge crowd, and the small animals tent — where town kids had a chance to cuddle all sorts of baby animals — was packed all day. The absence of calf club events had given pet lambs a chance to fill the gap.
Chef Hughie Blues interviews Rawiri Gabb-Warren, 10, of Kawakawa, during the Kids Can Cook competition.
Other new attractions this year included a classic car and hot rod display.
Ayrshire cattle breeder Malcolm Hutchings, who won last year's supreme champion animal title, said the show felt ''a little empty'' without cattle — but for the sake of the breeders it was the right thing to do.
Hutchings said he had been to every show but one since 1960.
''It's still the best show in Northland. It's the atmosphere, the grounds, everything. It's had its ups and downs over the years, but it's survived. There's a good group of people keeping it going,'' he said.
Zoe Gilmore (13, Paihia) and Lily Stephen (12, Kerikeri) compete in an AgriKids tyre-rolling challenge.
The show also featured two days of equestrian events, a Northland food and wine festival called Savouring the Source, and the annual Kids Can Cook competition.
