Waipukurau goes to the dogs – and sheep and horses – as Central Hawke’s Bay A&P Show show delights

The family pets had their day at the Central Hawke's Bay A&P Show in Waipukurau on Saturday, lining up in a range of events including the biscuit-catching and a bark-up. Photo / Doug Laing

The two-day Central Hawke’s Bay A&P Show ended in sweltering conditions in Waipukurau on Saturday.

There were animals galore, but mainly horses, sheep, and dogs, with even the family pooches in action, in such diverse suits as terrier racing, biscuit catching, and a bark-up, where the less-obliging canines had to use their handlers as stand-ins.

Elsewhere, sheep and dogs were in action together in the dog trials, horses paraded and jumped in the two busy arenas, and more than 130 shearers and woolhandlers took part in their events.

There was particular success for Hawke’s Bay shearer and former world champion John Kirkpatrick, who won the Open shearing title for a 15th time, continuing the trend of many of the best shearers appearing at the show.

There was also a solid line-up of machinery in tractors, from vintage models to the shining new models of 2025.

Show secretary Shelly Birdsall, who has been a committee member for about a decade and secretary for the past three years, said the crowds were “on a par” with recent years, but some sections of the show are calling for younger people to step forward to help with their events into the future.

Former World shearing champion John Kirkpatrick winning his 15th Central Hawke's Bay A&P Shears Open shearing title, with local helper Marc Ludlow wrapping one of the last fleeces for the day.

Waipukurau is expected to be even busier next weekend for the Waipukurau Cup race meeting on Sunday, the first horse racing in Hawke’s Bay in more than 13 months, since the second day of Hawke’s Bay Racing’s 2024 Spring Carnival was called-off early in September last year.

New tractors and mowers were on trade sites in the showgrounds.

Following the Hawke’s Bay show held in Hastings on October 23-24, it was the second of Hawke’s Bay’s four annual A&P Shows, with the Wairoa A&P Show on January 16-17, possibly at its showgrounds for the last time with a possible shift to Te Kupenga Racecourse for the future, and the Dannevirke show on January 31-February 1.