More town flavour in annual show

By Blair Ensor - The Marlborough Express

The A and P showgrounds are filling with displays and attractions as the 137th Marlborough A and P Show – with an urban flavour included – gets under way today.

A and P association president Amanda Taylor said the organisation was this year trying to "bring the show into the 21st century".

"It's supposed to be when town meets country, but we are trying to get more urban than we have been," Mrs Taylor said.

Tonight there would be more action than ever, with car enthusiasts making plenty of noise, police dogs on display and a military re-enactment.

"It's to encourage the young ones to come along," Mrs Taylor said.

"It's bigger and better."

The association's 20 committee members had been working on getting the show ready as soon as last year's show finished, but in the last three months "we've really got into action".

With the decline in the region's sheep numbers, the show was expanding into Marlborough's other main industries, viticulture and aquaculture.

Despite the new additions, there would still be plenty of traditional rural activities on show for the public including sheep dog trials, show jumping, wood chopping and shearing.

To mark Marlborough's 150th anniversary celebrations, the show's vintage machinery section had been bolstered, Mrs Taylor said, but another treat also lay in store.

Past president and committee member Vern Bishell had organised the appearance of some clydesdale horses, which had not featured at the show for years.

Mr Bishell said he had called in a favour from his mate Snow Cleaver who had brought some of the large breed of horse up from Amberley.

They would parade through Blenheim about 2pm today.

Mr Cleaver said the horses, which each weighed about a tonne, had played a huge role in developing early New Zealand. "They are slower than tractors, but they can do a damn good job. Someone's got to carry it on; otherwise it will be an art that's lost."

The A and P Show is on today and tomorrow at the A and P Showground on Maxwell Rd.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

FRIDAY

5.30pm: Car show starts 7pm: Military re-enactment

SATURDAY

9.30am: Military drive-by in front of grandstand

10am: Paul Fletcher sings at truck entertainment area, will sing all day

10.30am: Chris Davies chainsaw juggling show in front of grandstand

11am: Paul Avery shears a sheep

11.15am: Cow milking 1pm: Bullocks and draught horses

1pm-1.30pm: Terrier race 1pm: Gymnastic display in front of grandstand

1.30pm: Fire brigade display

2.30pm: Grand parade

3.30pm: Lolly scramble