With cattle classes once again cancelled because of the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak, junior handling and stock-judging classes will take centre-stage in the cattle ring at the Rangiora Showgrounds on Saturday, October 26.
Northern A&P Association committee member Philip Worthington and his wife, Kay, will once again provide the cattle from their Woolstone Park lowline cattle stud at Fernside, near Rangiora.
They expect about 10 to 12 young people will line-up, with most of them coming from the Rangiora High School cattle show team.
Team members have been busy working on the cattle and preparing for the shows.
The students visit the couple's farm twice a week, as part of the school's cattle show team, from August and throughout the show season, learning how to look after, handle, parade and prepare cattle for shows.
Once the show is over, team members will turn their attention to the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch next month, where they will look after the Woolstone Park team and compete in various classes.
''They are signed out of school for the week,'' Philip says. ''We set up the pens, put down straw and put up signage over the weekend and get everything ready.
''Tuesday is for washing up and the animals are groomed, ready for the breed classes on Wednesday, where they go up against other lowline entries, before the all-breeds and inter-breeds judging on Thursday.''
The students lead the animals in the show ring and compete in various competitions, including the junior judges classes on Wednesday evening and the junior handling classes on Friday
Team members are also responsible for keeping the pens clean and answering enquiries from the public.
Philip says there are plenty of opportunities for junior judges, with the Lady Isaac scholarships, and Murray Grey and lowline cattle scholarships for trips to compete in Australia.
''I would love to be turning 15 and going to secondary school now.''
Such opportunities were never around when he was younger, he said.
