MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 15 November 2013
For immediate release

It’s a wrap!

The horses are being rested, cattle loaded onto stock trucks and sheep piled in trailers as Canterbury says farewell to the 151st Canterbury A&P Show. Canterbury was hit with Show fever today as crowds flocked to the final day of the region’s most loved event.

Organisers are still waiting for confirmation of final numbers but anticipate a crowd of 100,000+ showgoers made their annual pilgrimage to Canterbury Agricultural Park. Last year’s attendance over the three days was 117,000.

“The Canterbury A&P Show continues to delight people of all ages; once again the Show has brought together the community to experience the best of what Canterbury has to offer. On behalf of the Canterbury A&P Association, we want to thank showgoers for embracing the atmosphere of New Zealand’s largest A&P Show and thank everyone involved for their on-going volunteer effort” commented Canterbury A&P Show Event Director, Geoff Bone.

Despite the at times unruly northeast wind, judging was completed in the showing rings and culminated in the announcement of the Supreme Champion Animal of Show which was awarded to Amberleigh Gold Touch, the Supreme Champion Saddle Pony winner.

From over 80 entries, Canterbury farmer Mike Ryan took out the overall award in the Mint Lamb Competition with his Coopdale Suffolk Cross lamb named the countries best, from paddock to plate. Entries in the competition were judged for best overall yield before being tender tested and then taste tested at the Canterbury A&P Show.

Trade Exhibitor of the Year Awards were announced on Wednesday evening with BNZ – The Amazing Place taking the Supreme Champion title. The multi-media, interactive exhibition included selected entries from both the playground and project BNZ Amazing Place competitions where children and young people were given an opportunity to say what they thought their future city should be like. Site organisers plan to donate the $5000 MORE FM advertising voucher to charity.

Chris Hay of NZ Farmers Livestock in Taranaki won the Heartland Bank Young Auctioneers Competition, beating eight entrants from stock firms throughout the country. Introduced in 2012, the competition aims to showcase and develop young auctioneers and improve the standard of auctioneering across the board.

Other awards announced during the Canterbury A&P Show included the Dakins Ambassador of the Year which was awarded to Judith Johnson of Maxwellton Pony Stud. The Ambassador award honours a competitor who has been seen to support the ideals of the Canterbury A&P Association. Judith has been competing since 1962 and has an enthusiasm for showing and assisting younger riders.

The 2013 Show Legend, recognising volunteer effort, was awarded to cattle farmer Ivan Robertson. Ivan has been involved with the Canterbury A&P Show his whole life, more recently working as a steward in the cattle section of the Canterbury A&P Show.

The 2014 Canterbury A&P Show will be held Wednesday 12 to Friday 14 November at Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch. Full Show results are available at www.theshow.co.nz

Fun Facts for the 2013 Canterbury A&P Show
• More than 100,000 Show visitors
• 60 baby lambs were born in the Sheep Maternity Ward including two sets of triplets and 24 sets of twins
• 45 baby chicks hatched
• Over 20 tonnes of rubbish collected over the Show period
• More than 300 bottles of powdered milk feed to calves and lambs in the Mike Greer Homes City Farmyard
• 1200+ whitebait sandwiches consumed over the three days
• The Ferris Wheel made 2400+ loops during the Show
• More than 2300 litres of Tui beer consumed at the Show
• Over 60 tonnes of green feed (fresh grass) consumed by the 3000+ animals on site during the Show

*Figures quoted are estimates and subject to change

-ENDS-

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