The organisers of the Mayfield A&P Show still have fingers and toes crossed that community cases of covid remain at bay and the show next weekend goes ahead.
There was a collective sigh of relief among association members when the South Island was reduced to Alert Level 1 two week ago, but now show president Sheryl Harrison’s fingers and toes have been recrossed hoping the latest alert level move to Level 2 will end in time for the show.
A decision will be made early next week, she said.
Organisers were anxious about covid "hanging over our heads" but at level one the show could go ahead.
The showgrounds were barely cleaned up after the event last year before the country went in to national lockdown.
"We really hope and pray … we were very lucky, we got in four days before lockdown last year.
"We snuck in, got our show. Methven (A&P Show) missed out last year."
In the event the show is cancelled due to covid, organisers have given people entering competitions an option to have their entry fee refunded or to donate it to the association. It was a sign of the times. Many indicated they would be happy to donate their entry fee, Mrs Harrison said. "It keeps things going for the following year, so we don’t suffer too badly."
An electronic ticketing system had also been set up this year for physical tickets and a QR code for covid tracking would be in place on the day. Mrs Harrison has lived in the Mayfield area with her family since 2000. She had always had an interest in the show, especially in the produce shed; her two daughters got involved throughout their school years, and she would help making models and masks and crafty things.
She joined the committee with an interest in the produce shed.
She was produce shed convener for around three years before taking on the president role.
Mrs Harrison’s family have a contracting business in Mayfield and she is a relieving primary school teacher at Mayfield and Carew schools.
There was an outer space theme for the produce shed this year, which will see the school exhibits with it as a theme.
She said if there were any changes to the alert levels an emergency meeting would be held and decisions would be made.
But it was very hard to have a show with 100 people, she said.
