North Otago A&P Show going ahead with reduced programme

Horses were plentiful at the North Otago A&P Show two years ago and more than 170 horses are entered for this weekend's show. Photo / Sally Brooker

This weekend's North Otago A&P Show is still being well supported, despite the heavily reduced programme.

The show is just one of 16 from a possible 76 A&P shows which are going ahead around the country this summer.

Most of the planned North Otago show day had to be called off due to Covid-19 Red traffic light restrictions, but A&P Association secretary Katrina Kelly said entry numbers were "surprisingly good" for the sections still going ahead.

The school and horse sections had both had a substantial number of entries, with the horse section being "potentially the biggest horse show we've ever had here", Kelly said.

Entrants were arriving from as far as Kaiapoi and Gore, and there were a lot of entries from Queenstown and Wanaka.

"We've got 175 horses entered over the two days," she said.

"We've probably got less locals than everywhere else, which is interesting."

Competitors would be in bubbles of 50 horses, and each bubble was allocated a separate toilet block.

People were on horses, so naturally distanced, vaccine passes were required at the gate, and everything was being held outside, she said.

All judges had been contacted and were happy to proceed with the show, despite the continued spread of Omicron.

A limit had been set on the number of Covid cases that would have to be in the Waitaki by today, in order for the show to be cancelled, but that was in the thousands, and had looked unlikely, she said.

"We're making sure that we're following all the protocols, crossing the 't's and dotting the 'i's, and yeah, so, quite excited about it, really.

"Nothing is going to stop it now, basically."

There were about 1200 entries from six schools and the Barnados Early Learning Centre, about 400 down in previous years, which was because the baking and floral sections were closed, she said.

"Considering we're not having a full show, I think that's absolutely awesome. Really stoked that people have still supported it."

School entries would be judged in the week after the show, and prizes given out at school assemblies.

In information sent out by the Royal Agricultural Society, North Otago was identified as just one of 16 shows, out of a possible 76, that were making the effort to press ahead, albeit in a reduced capacity.

"Competitors are looking forward to it. They're grateful for the fact we're actually running an event, and I think, for Oamaru as well, motels and that sort of thing are a little bit fuller because people are coming in the night before because they're coming from so far," Kelly said.

"It's good. It's a shame it can't be done, the whole thing, but it can't."