Ruth and Keith Berry, of Waipara, were pleased to win champion all breeds ewe hogget. Photo / David Hill
Ruth and Keith Berry, of Waipara, were pleased to win champion all breeds ewe hogget. Photo / David Hill
There were large numbers of sheep at the Amberley Domain on Saturday.
More than 240 sheep were entered, including lambs and flock sheep, and Amberley A&P Show sheep section convener Jimmy Gardiner said it was the biggest sheep show in Amberley for at least 10 years.
"We haven't had thesenumbers for a good number of years. We've got more 50 Corriedales, 40 Dorset Downs and good numbers in all the breeds, which is a credit to all the breeders for coming to support our little show."
Sheep were transported from as far south as Oamaru and as far north as Blenheim.
The Gardiner family has been supporting the local Amberley show for generations, with Mr Gardiner farming at Broomfield, near Amberley, running 1800 commercial ewes and 300 Suffolk and South Suffolk stud ewes and 80 beef cows.
Sheep section convener Jimmy Gardiner (right) holds the trophy, while Ashburton judge Stuart Sinclair gets ready to choose the winner in the all breeds commercial ram hogget competition. Photo / David Hill
Waipara farmers Keith and Ruth Berry won all breeds champion ewe hogget with a young Texel ewe.
"She's a really well-balanced sheep, good colouring, good on her feet and legs and she's a good all-round, clean ewe hogget," Mr Berry said.
Phil Williams, of Amberley, congratulates Christina Jordan, of Blenheim, on winning the all breeds commercial ram hogget competition, presenting a trophy donated by Mr Williams' parents. Photo / David Hill
The couple has been breeding Texels since the 1990s and were regular supporters of the Amberley show, with Mrs Berry stewarding for the pet lamb classes.
Blenheim farmer Christina Jordan is a regular winner at the New Zealand Agricultural Show with her Southdown sheep, but she has never won a trophy as big as the one she won for the all breeds commercial ram hogget competition on her first time showing at Amberley.
Robin Wilson, of West Melton, was pleased to win the champion ribbon in the Corriedale ram hogget feature class at the Amberley A&P Show on Saturday. Photo / David Hill
The trophy was presented by Amberley farmer and fellow Southdown breeder Phil Williams, whose parents, Bryan and Trish Williams, of Blenheim, donated the trophy.
The Willowhaugh Southdown Stud won the all breeds elite ram hogget competition.
Waipara girls Anna Croft (9, left), and her lamb Pebbles, and Clementine Forbes (9), with her brother's lamb Big Joe (back) and her lamb Bruse, get ready to enter the judges' ring. Photo / David Hill
Normally Jordan would be preparing for her local Marlborough A&P Show this weekend and the Christchurch show the following week, but both have been cancelled.
"Without the Christchurch show we will move on to ram sales. Normally our life evolves around the Christchurch show for a week, so it will be a bit different this year," Jordan said.
Deidre Ward, of Sefton, near Rangiora, gives her pet sheep "Pretty Pants", a 2-year-old wether, a cuddle. Photo / David Hill
"But it's good to fly the Southdown flag."
The Willowhaugh Southdown sheep will be back in Canterbury later this month, with three ram hoggets entered in the Canterbury A&P Association elite ram fair on November 27.
Corriedale sheep was the feature breed at the show with a special ribbon for the champion Corriedale ram hogget entered in the show going to West Melton farmer Robin Wilson.
Stephanie Rayward, of Clarkville, near Kaiapoi, feeds one of her kid goats in the pet tent. Photo / David Hill
Meanwhile, the top sheep from New Zealand Corriedale Council's annual production ram and ewe hogget competitions, normally displayed at the New Zealand Agricultural Show, were on display at Amberley.
North Canterbury farmer Mark "Chief" Sidey, who is council president, won the production ram hogget class, while Southbridge farmer Gordon Gilbert came out on top in the ewe hogget class.
Alice Jones (left), leading Hollybank Vanity, and Jane Arscott, leading Hollybank Vega, get ready for judging in the dairy goat competition. The Hollybank Sable dairy goats come from Cust, near Oxford. Photo / David Hill
All roads led to Amberley Domain on Saturday. After the cancellation of other A&P shows and events throughout the region this year due to Covid-19, Saturday's Amberley A&P Show was a welcome day out.
The day provided a chance for the rural community to come together, show their sheep, sample some lamb and beef cooked up in the hoof to hotplate tent, learn about wool and have a good old catch up.
Mark Woelders (left) and Kevin Rowe enjoy their work, judging in the "hoof to hotplate'' competition. Rowe said he was impressed with the 18 samples of beef from calves entered by local farmers. Photo / David Hill
The sun came out on Saturday morning to welcome the visitors, before strong winds blew dust about in the afternoon.
