Dog skills on display at East Otago A&P Show

Marjo Buis, of Dunedin, encourages Buddy, 9, during the flygility demonstration at the East Otago Show in Palmerston on Saturday. Photo / Hamish MacLean

In its 151st year, the East Otago Show has gone to the dogs — and everybody seemed to be enjoying the scene in Palmerston on Saturday.

For the first time the 60-member, Dunedin-based Otago Canine Training Club was invited to Palmerston to put on a demonstration at the A&P show and the day's MC, Waitaki district councillor Jim Hopkins, indicated he was a relative novice when it came to providing commentary for canine training demonstrations.

He acted perplexed after having the skills the dogs and trainers would demonstrate during the obedience portion of the show described to him.

"Is this like dressage for dogs?" he asked.

"So, when is this going to be in the Olympics?"

In all, 14 dogs, from purebreds to rescue, and rehomed dogs and their trainers, demonstrated rally-o, flygility, obedience, agility, scent detection and treibball skills to the gathered crowd about 1.30pm at the Palmerston Waihemo A&P showgrounds in Gilligan St.

Otago Canine Training Club member Denise Lindsay explained to Cr Hopkins what he was seeing, as a commentary during the demonstration, and said afterwards the club would probably return next year.

"We've had a wonderful day," she said.

Palmerston Waihemo Agricultural and Pastoral Association president Paul Mutch said he would love to have the canine training club back next year.

With "easily" 1500 people filing into the showgrounds on Saturday, he was "thoroughly enjoying" the day.

"I love seeing the people here enjoying themselves ... all this colour and excitement," he said.

Formerly known as the Palmerston and Waihemo A&P show the show was renamed the East Otago Show this year, to better reflect the the wider geographical area it represents.

The association's redeveloped showgrounds played host to trade stalls, garden displays, live music, dancing, vintage machinery displays, magic, a hobby horse competition, a pet parade, and more than 1000 equestrian entrants.

This was the third year the show had split into two days to host a second day of equestrian events. In his fourth year as president of the association, Mr Mutch said the two-day format had proved "excellent".