Dannevirke’s 2024 A&P Show had something old, something new and some novelty

The 2024 A&P Show Supreme Sheep: this Perendale with breeder John Henricksen.

Dannevirke’s 2024 A&P Show was planned by its new committee to be different and it certainly was, although its potential to be spectacularly different was compromised by Saturday’s terrible weather.

While the farmers would be pleased to have this welcome rain for pasture growth - 40 millimetres from Friday evening in Dannevirke - organisers were disappointed some of the events were badly affected, Mahon’s entertainment restricting its operations when it became too dangerous to operate.

The finalists for Supreme Sheep: the champion Perendale and the reserve champion Suffolk, from Simon Prouting.

Fortunately, many of the features were under cover but A&P president Kirsten Wahlberg said she felt some of the food stalls and trades missed out on Saturday.

She thanked her committee and volunteers - the organisers of the major sections of the show - for persevering and adapting and the public for coming along in such good numbers on Saturday morning, even when the weather did not improve.

She said Sunday’s events in lovely weather demonstrated what could have been.

Trevor Moore with his champion Commercial Sow and Best Porker.

Pastoral Industries

Things pastoral were mostly able to operate under cover.

With no dairy or beef entries apart from the prime cattle, the entries of sheep more than made up for it with a great response from farmers in this traditional competition - despite the inclement weather.

George and Henry Baxter of The Choppers syndicate with Romeo (champion Boarnut) and Juliet, winner of Best Baconer and Overall Champion Hog.

Aleisha Phelps’ champion boar, affectionately named "Cuddles".

The best examples of the different categories were displayed at the prizegiving on Saturday, with the judges explaining the reasons for their placings.

Ultimately it came down to John Henricksen’s Perendale and Simon Prouting’s Suffolk getting the nod for Supreme Sheep.

Simon Prouting explaining to the A.D.B. Williams cadets the key points in judging these two-tooth Romneys.

The Best Dressed category won by the three gentlemen in the centre from the Glen Ross Syndicate.

A very good selection of light and heavyweight prime cattle were judged on the hoof with the Pukemiro A.D.B. Williams Trust cadets getting a lesson on the procedures and points to look for. It will be interesting to see how the “on the hook” assessments match up to the judge’s decisions when the results are announced.

The Lawn syndicate of Johnny, Max and Henry with mum Charlotte, who had a winner for Best Commercial Boar (otherwise engaged).

Thankfully under cover in the sheepyards, the new innovation of pigs in the pastoral section entitled “The Dannevegas Pork Lords” drew an interested crowd and some fine entries. The entries were highly rated by the expert judge and the humans who dressed up were also spectacular.

Organiser Kirsten Wahlberg said she was thrilled with the response to the re-igniting of this element of the A&P Show.