A one-lane bridge packed with 3000 sheep created a quintessentially Kiwi traffic jam in Central Hawke's Bay on Monday afternoon.
In Patangata there's few motorists in a hurry anyway, but speedy work meant there was no need for ewe-turns as the flock was shifted across Tukituki River bridge on Elsthorpe Rd.
Waipawa Butchery and Patangata Station owner Duncan Smith said the sheep were part of his flock and were being transported to the shearing part of the farm.
"We try to keep the movement of that many sheep to an absolute minimum," he said. "But in total, it only took seven minutes to get the 3000 across."