Otago Taieri A and P Show goes ahead with limited numbers

Elsie Roulston (5) rides horse Prince Valiant of Afallon, with assistance from her mother Renee Roulston, both of Outram, at the Otago Taieri A&P Show. Photo / Shawn McAvinue

A plan was made to ensure horse events could continue to canter on at the annual Otago Taieri A&P Show in Mosgiel, held at the weekend, no matter what the traffic light system colour was.

Society president Brian Thomson, of Allanton, said in November last year, the show committee decided to exclude spectators and only hold horse events, the Paddock to Plate competition and wool judging.

The decision to reduce the event was "devastating".

To ensure the three-days of horse events could proceed regardless of traffic light system colour, the number of people allowed to take part was limited to 200.

Competitors were split between two bubbles of 100 people each and events were planned so the bubbles did not interact.

For Paddock to Plate, farmers from between Milton, Middlemarch and Waikouaiti entered a record 41 lambs for judging.

Farmers gave the lambs to the Otago Taieri A&P Society for fundraising.

Lambs were judged on the hoof by a Silver Fern Farms drafter, then on the hook, X-rayed for meat yield, at the Finegand plant near Balclutha.

In the past nine years, only two lambs picked on the hoof went all the way to win the competition.

Otago Taieri A&P Society president Brian Thomson (left) presents the Reid Tray to Bill Smeaton, of Mosgiel, for winning the Paddock to Plate competition in Outram on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

The judges were impressed by the lambs this year, he said.

"The lambs are a kilo heavier this year."

Outram Butchery prepared the same piece of meat from each lamb and cooked it the same way for serving to judges at the West Taieri Rugby Football Club in Outram on Saturday.

The cooked lamb was then judged on taste, tenderness, aroma and appearance.

Inspecting wool entered for judging at the 2022 Otago Taieri A&P Show in Mosgiel last week are society president Brian Thomson, of Allanton (left), and judge, PGG Wrightson wool representative Kevin Waldron, of Dunedin. Photo / Shawn McAvinue

The prize was $1000, "bragging rights" and the Reid Tray trophy.

"It's winner takes all."

Bill Smeaton, of Mosgiel, won the competition.