Horse-riding dogs star at A & P Show

One of the attractions at the annual Stratford A & P Show this month will be a tightrope-walking dog.

Jim Banks's Performing Miniature Horses and Dogs Show promises to be a hit in the children's area.

Jim, of Dannevirke, said he has the only dog in the Southern Hemisphere that walks the high wire, two metres off the ground.

It's all in the blood. His father performed with animals in Buller's Circus many years ago and Jim has been running his performing pony and dog acts for 35 years.

He had outlived three sets of dogs and is now on his fourth.

Jim said poodles and fox terriers make good performing dogs and they will be riding the ponies at the show and performing various tricks in the ring.

He will be running three 45 minute shows on the Saturday and Sunday and the high wire act will feature at each second show of the day.

The show is on November 28 and 29, and organisers expect up to 15,000 people to attend over the weekend.

A New Zealand versus Australia chopping and sawing competition will take place on the Sunday afternoon with world champions taking part.

Animal judging of the various breeds will take place on the Saturday, as has been the case for 105 years in Stratford, and the New Zealand Champion Cow in the Milking Shorthorn section will attract entries from all over the country.

For the townies and kids the ever-popular range of sideshows will be there.

McDonald's Farm Barn will provide children with a hands-on experience with young animals, and the massive trade display area is almost full.

Dog trials will take place at the show and vintage army vehicles and vintage farm machinery will be on display.