Counting down to Show time in Canterbury

Pop on a sunhat, brush off your gumboots and get ready for Canterbury’s biggest celebration of all things country.

More than 100,000 people and 3000 animals will descend on the ASB Agricultural Park for the 154th annual Canterbury A&P Show next week. The three-day event, running from Wednesday 9 November has a proud history as a key part of Christchurch’s NZ Cup & Show Week.

But while you're enjoying the buzz about town, spare a thought for the dedicated team working tirelessly to put on a show that's 365 days in the making.

Canterbury A&P Show Marketing Manager Nicola Henderson said more than 500 volunteers, 20 casual staff and nine permanent staff helped bring the Show together.

“Planning for the following year’s Show literally begins the day after the Show ends – it’s a complicated event to deliver. Not only is it the sheer logistics of an event that caters to 100,000 people from all walks of life, it’s dealing with membership, show entries, grounds management, other Association events throughout the year and a whole lot more,” Ms Henderson said.

The Show has something for everyone – animals, shopping, food and wine, and entertainment. And the event numbers are impressive!

Last year, more than 1200 whitebait patties were consumed and 2300 litres of beer were enjoyed in the Town & Country Bar. The Ferris wheel went around 2400 times, and 3000 animals chewed through 60 tonnes of green feed.

Canterbury A&P Show by the numbers:
• 100,000 people expected to attend
• 6500 livestock, equestrian and feature competition entries
• $100,000 in prize money
• 550 trade exhibitors
• 3000 animals on-site
• 50 pregnant ewes ready to give birth in the Sheep Maternity Ward
• 300 bottles of powdered milk to be fed to calves and lambs in the Mike Greer Homes City Farmyard
• 150 portaloos
• 4000 metres of temporary fencing

In addition to the competitive action in the showing rings, there are plenty of opportunities for Showgoers to interact with the animals – the children can even have a go at shearing (albeit with stuffed toy sheep).

Win Canterbury A&P Show tickets with Newsline

Newsline is celebrating NZ Cup & Show Week by giving away tickets to the Canterbury A&P Show. For your chance to win from a pool of 2 x Family Passes and 3 x double passes simply register here for our weekly newsletter before midnight Sunday November 6. Five winners will be notified by email on Monday November 7. Existing email addresses already receiving the Newsline newsletter are ineligible to enter the draw.