Waimarino Show prizewinners celebrate wins and Raetihi community spirit

Regional: Maureen Bright

The produce hall at the Waimarino A&P Show had the more entries this year than previously, ranging from flowers and vegetables to baking, jams, knitting, crochet and visual art.

Two winners who were thrilled with their prizes were 4-year-old Nico Fisher and Raetihi grandmother Maureen Bright.

Nico won a bronze trophy of an eagle and a certificate in the visual art section for his picture of some of his family and a dinosaur with big teeth.

Nico, who starts school next month, said he did his winning picture after school oneday when his sister was drawing. "So I did too,'' he said.

He never expected to win though, he said. "I was just doing it for fun and now I am chosen.''

Maureen Bright won outstanding exhibit of the show with her large art piece titled Dandy. Her textile art piece is two stylish dandelion heads on long stalks settled in a nest of pointed leaves.

Ms Bright said the delicate heads were made from the threads of a special wire which "fluff out perfectly".

She is thrilled with her win and said she loved creating the work and will not be giving it away. "I actually really like it.''

She is part of a small craft club called Busy Hands' which meets every Wednesday at 7.30pm at the Fish and Game Hall in Seddon Street in Raetihi.

"We're just a small group but we love getting together and creating lovely things.''

Ms Bright, who has lived 44 years in Raetihi, said one of the prime things every year with the A&P show is to attract young competitors. "Because they are the future of our town and the show.''

She said it was fantastic attracting more than 200 entries from the local primary schools this year.

"It means everyone comes along on show day from grandparents to mums, dads, sisters and brothers, teachers - everyone from our community.''

She had even managed to persuade her granddaugher to enter something. "So she made a big batch of fudge and entered it. Of course we all had a piece first.''

The annual A&P show has been loved by the locals for years, she said. "We're a closeknit community and it is a great reason for us all to get together and have a special day.''