Children get a taste of showing at club day

Springston School pupils with their pet brown shaver chooks Charlotte Watkins (13, left), with Zara, Toby Benison (12, centre), with Koru, and his brother Daniel (9), with Sleepy. Photos: David Hill

James Jones (9), of Cust School, and his lamb, Lamby, wait to be judged.

Judge Andrew Stokes, of Oxford, judges 6-year-old Sophie Westaway’s lamb, Sparkles.

Brother and sister Carter (12, left) and Maddison (9), of Broadfield School, wait in the ring with their lambs Maya and Gabriela.

Cust School pupil Samara Van Wyk’s (11) lamb Shelby was so white, even Canterbury A&P Association president Mr Herbert was impressed. Samara says Shelby has been sleeping indoors until a new pen is built.

Local school children got their chance to shine at Canterbury Agricultural Park last Thursday.

Children from central and North Canterbury schools gathered for the Canterbury A&P Association’s annual Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club Day.

Daizy the lamb is interested in what Southbridge School pupil Kate Maginness (10) has in her bag, while mum Taryn looks on. Photo: David HIll

The event is held the week after the New Zealand Agricultural Show at the same venue, and provides an opportunity for children to get a taste of showing.

To qualify for the competition, entrants had to have attended a school pet day within their region.

President Chris Herbert, of Omihi in North Canterbury, was impressed with the number of entries, with 22 entries in the senior lambs class, which he judged with his wife, Katrina.

There were also 13 junior lambs, two goats, one pig and five poultry.

For the second year running, there were no calf entries due to the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak.

Entries were judged across three sections: care and attention, leading and handling and project books.

Results

Canterbury A&P Association Boys & Girls Agricultural Club Day 2019

Senior goats: Isabelle Bergs (Tai Tapu School) champion.Junior lambs: Max Lineham (Broadfield School) champion, Baxter Florence (Rakaia School) reserve champion.

Senior lambs: Kate Maginness (Southbridge School) champion, George Henry (Ladbrooks School) reserve champion.

Senior pigs: Fletcher Keen (Springston School) champion.

Junior poultry: Daniel Benison (Springston School) champion, Hayden Lineham (Broadfield School) reserve champion.

Senior poultry: Toby Benison (Springston School) champion, Charlotte Watkins (Springston School) reserve champion.

Central Rural Life

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