Breana (6) with All Black, and her sister Isla (9) Smith, of Duntroon, with Licka. Photos: Hamish MacLean
Duntroon sisters Breana and Isla Smith were not sure they wanted to show their 4-month-old pet lambs at the North Otago A&P Show, in Oamaru, on Saturday.
The sisters were nervous.
"I didn't want to do it," Isla said.
But as the girls led All Black and Licka in the Grand Parade with about 100 other animals on Saturday afternoon, their thoughts on the matter had changed.
Isla said she was already excited about next year. When it poured with rain on Wednesday, North Otago A&P Association secretary Katrina Kelly remained "completely positive" the weather would clear for the two-day show.
Although she was "pretty gutted" about cancelling Friday's show jumping because of safety concerns about wet grounds, she estimated more than 3000 people still had come through the gates on Saturday, a slight decrease from last year.
"It's been a good day," Mrs Kelly said.
"What with the excitement with the fire, and the fire engine having to shoot out."
The Oamaru Volunteer Fire Brigade, after a demonstration on Friday night, was hosting a fire-skills obstacle course at the A&P show on Saturday when a fire broke out close enough to the showgrounds that Mrs Kelly initially feared it was actually in the showgrounds. A thick black plume of smoke appeared to the northwest about 11.45am and a fire truck at the showgrounds left to put out a garage fire less than 1km away.
A core group of 20 association volunteers were bolstered to about 50 volunteers for the two-day show.
hamish.maclean@odt.co.nz
TrailLite's Peter Newman worked 25 to 30 hours a week to get the caravan good as new.