Kem Ormond reminisces about her children’s pet day at Ōmakere Schooland decides to investigate whether it is still going.
I remember the annual school pet day with much fondness.
Getting the animals ready to go on show, washing and blow-drying the pet lamb, the quick lessons for the dog on expected behaviour, and hunting out a comfortable cage for the rooster.
I won’t even describe the commotion of loading all the pets, flowers, and baking into the car — let’s just say thank goodness the trip to the school was short.
I think we have taken every animal from a horse to a mouse to pet day.
There have been a few disasters along the way; like when the pet lamb expired on the morning of the pet day and had to be replaced by a curly-coated retriever, who I might add happened to win a prize for the dog with the most unusual name (not for publication).
Then there was scouring the garden for flowers for the sand posy competition, baking muffins and then making a flower arrangement in an unusual container … which in our case was often an old gumboot, namely mine.
Pet day was when all the community turned out and was an opportunity to catch up with neighbours and friends.
The excitement of the children was infectious, there was a lot of laughing done by adults and it was always a reminder of how lucky we all were to live in such a great rural community.
My children have long left the nest and I was wondering if the annual school pet day was a thing of the past.
Big competition in the lamb section at Ōmakere School Pet Day.
I looked up the website of Ōmakere School in Central Hawke’s Bay, a small rural school that my children attended.
I was so delighted to see that not only was the school thriving with 84 Year 0-8 pupils now attending, but pet day was still a highlight on their calendar.
The children attending this school have experiences and opportunities that often are not possible with town schools.
I remember when a vet came to the school many years ago and dissected a sheep.
My children, even though off a farm, couldn’t get in the door quickly enough to tell me about it.
Children at rural schools are lucky to have the opportunity to get to know and learn about their environment.
As I looked through the wonderful array of photos from the school’s 2023 pet day, it brought back many memories.
I must say the standard of the work entered has certainly gone up a notch or two.
Some of the flower arrangements were professional looking, and some of the decorated muffins would certainly put my decorating skills to shame.
The pets being paraded were more flamboyantly dressed than I remember, and ranged from baby chickens to a lizard, blue-horned goat, multi-coloured lambs, calves, ducks, roosters, to a huge assortment of dogs and some gorgeous sleeping pups.
Even non-pet owners were included, with children able to bring their favourite stuffed toys.
A highlight once the pets have had their moment in the sun is the parent baking competition.
Entries are auctioned to raise money for the school, with baking hotly contested.
The favourite last year was a whisky cake that had a little sign clearly stating, “not intended for children”.
The things that have remained the same are the relaxed atmosphere, the happy faces, the picnic lunch and a community that still takes the time to support its children and its local school.
