The Sefton resident is the second woman in 160 years to be president of the Canterbury A&P Association, which runs the historic Christchurch three-day show.
She is also the first North Canterbury woman in the role.
Anne has a long association with the show, beginning as a child with her father’s involvement.
‘‘My father, Ben Savage, imported, bred and showed saanen dairy goats, and in 1954 he won Best Goat in Show at the Canterbury A&P Show,’’ Anne says.
She still has a miniature of the cup symbolising her father’s showing highlight.
Anne began showing Alpacas at the show, and their fleece, and then in the early 2000’s she took over convening the alpaca section.
She was co-opted on to the cattle committee, and in 2006 was nominated on to the general committee.
‘‘I became chair of the cattle committee the year bovis appeared in New Zealand.’’
Anne says that presented some challenges which were ‘‘seized with both hands’’ with a biosecurity plan being master-minded, and approved by the Ministry for Primary Industries, so cattle could continue to be shown safely at Canterbury.
Anne became interested in the show’s administrative side after her involvement in showing, breeding and judging dogs.
This gave her a ‘‘sound knowledge in ring craft and judging as well as showing rules and the administrative requirements of judged show sections’’.
She is hoping for beautiful weather, an attendance of more than 120,000 and a lot of happy visitors and exhibitors at this year’s show.
There will be a mix of new events, competitions and displays to see.
These include the Wool Zone, Sheep Milking, Farrier Competitions, the Terrier Race, a Christmas Cake competition and time-honoured favourites such as equestrian events, sheep, goat, alpaca, pig and poultry judging, livestock competitions, City Farmyard, Endurocross and wood chopping.
‘‘We also have Beef and Dairy Royal sections this year,’’ she says.
Anne and her husband Bevan own Southside Health, a medical centre in Rangiora which they established in 2008.
Bevan is a GP and Anne is the practice manager. The couple also own a lifestyle block in Sefton where they raise alpacas.
- The three-day New Zealand Agricultural Show at Canterbury Agricultural Park runs from Wednesday, November 15, with the big day out on Friday, November 17, Canterbury Anniversary Day.
-By Shelley Topp
