Show's heavy artillery to feature today

A drop or two of rain and grey skies may have put a bit of a damper on the opening day of the 150th anniversary Hawke's Bay Show in Hastings yesterday, but by the end of the day things were starting to heat up as the heavy artillery started moving in for some of the feature events starting today.

Among the heaviest was seven-year-old charolais bull Rauriki Beaujolais who rolled-in late in the day with stud breeders Simon and Wendy Collin from Southern Hawke's Bay for what is a rare public appearance with the heyday of stock showing a distant thing of the past.

Beaujolais has been to only three shows, and until he got off the truck after the trip from Ormondville yesterday he hadn't been to the Show since he was about a year old.

With daughters Annie, Sarah and Lucy helping - not to mention a steer called Gaylord and a couple of yearling heifers also in the troupe - Simon and Wendy were enjoying a bit of a nostalgic buzz, with a certain concern for the way the internet and modern technology has taken the fun out of what farmers from all over Hawke's Bay used to do in the week before Labour Weekend every year.

"It's not like it was 20 years ago," Mr Collin said as the family did the usual things around the stalls, preparing the stock for their stayover. "There's still nothing like seeing the cattle on the hoof.

"You can't beat taking them to the show," he said. "So, we brought him up for the 150th."

With Royal status having been granted to the cattle classes, as a prelude to Hawke's Bay applying for Royal Show rights in 2015, 70-80 cattle are expected for judging today, the charolais being joined by simmental, shorthorns, angus and murray greys in the registered breeds, as well as highland and dexter cattle.

About 20 will take part in the parade, being revived as a highlight of the show to commemorate the show's milestone, Beaujolais a likely starter, particularly if he lives up to his form of four years ago when he collared the Manawatu Show's Meat and Wool Cup.

Among others preparing last night for Day 2 debut were axe sportsmen Pouri Rakete-Stones, of Napier, and retired Tauranga drycleaner Neville Bowen.

Mr Rakete-Stones is among the organisers for two days of contests which have about 25 entries, not bad, he reckons, for a week-day show when a lot of people "still have to work".

Mr Bowen, now 62, grew up "in the bush" around the Western Bays of Lake Taupo, and has been competing since 1970.

A "sparkie by trade" he recently sold the Taupo drycleaning business he'd had for 18 years, and has bought a mobile home to follow the shows for a while.

There was Poverty Bay last weekend, where he won the the double-hand saw with Bay View man Bevan Knowles. It'll be Wanganui next, then the Canterbury Show in Christchurch.

The travel's nothing, for he's just spent 10 weeks in Australia, and competed in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Adelaide.

"I thought I'd have time of my own for 12 months, to myself, and then see what I want to do next," he reckoned.

Weather for today in Hastings was forecast to be fine and becoming warm with northwesterlies, but some rain is forecast for the public holiday People's Day tomorrow.