The Methven A&P Show is a chance to reconnect with others in a fun-filled family environment.
It offers a day full of wholesome entertainment and activities at its bumper show on this Saturday, (March 16).
Methven A&P Show president Trevor Monson said its theme, Get Involved in Your Community, was about connecting people.
He encouraged clubs and organisations to make contact to promote their groups at the show.
‘‘Methven is very lucky with what we have round here. There’s so much stuff, so many committees, there’s something for everyone like sports clubs, Lions, ambulance, you name it … it’s a good way to get round meeting people, if you’re new to the area.’’
Promoting the organisations available in the community was a great way to get more members or volunteers on board, he said.
Monson, a fourth generation dairy farmer, arrived in New Zealand from Ireland in 1998. He found an unexpected reason to stay in Methven.
He met, and later married, Stacey. The couple have two children.
‘‘It was a three month working holiday, and I never went home,’’ he said.
Now milking 1500 through two dairy sheds, Monson got involved with the A&P association after moving to Methven 13 years ago. He had good staff on board.
‘‘I’ve been dairy farming all my life,’’ he said.
‘‘When we converted it was the wettest, shittiest spring ever, and they probably felt sorry for me,’’ he said.
‘‘They said ‘Come in here, have a bit of fun with our lovely committee’.’’
And he did.
There was a big injection of dairy farmers that year. It was a good way to meet people, he said.
‘‘When I joined the committee the saying was family first, work, then committee.
“Meeting the people, networking, it all sort of gels together. It’s sort of like a welcome to the area,” he said.
‘‘The sooner you get involved in something the better.’’
Those with children generally connected through preschools or schools, but clubs and organisations were another way to meet others with similar interests, he said.
‘‘We are just so lucky with the people that support us as well,’’ he said, of those who supported the show.
Groups around the district have been encouraged to get their details to organisers for display in the home industries pavilion.
Once with the association Monson was first involved with woodchopping, before moving to the gift calf section, and the dairy heifer competition. Judging for the on-farm heifer competition was done on Thursday.
Around the showgrounds have been some developments and committee members were on hand last week at a working bee.
Additional Pinoak trees had been planted around the grounds, and president name plaques purchased to up date the process started by past committees.
The plaques have been attached to the Pinoaks for every president since first show president Alex Orr in 1911.
Monson said the animal shed had also had a two-bay extension which would allow the inclusion of wool and wool judging. It allowed more competitions to be held under cover.
The highlight of the animal shed was the attendance of Truffles, an Italian riveria water buffalo born in 2021, he said.
Truffles is owned by a Methven family. He was born a few days before Christmas that year, which was how he got his name.
There will also be eels, puppies, pigs, chickens, guinea pigs and ducks.
‘‘It will be nice with the extension, last year it was a marque. It just future-proofs it.’’
‘‘It’s a well-oiled machine here because of previous presidents,’’ he said, of the work going into the 108th annual show.
‘‘People have their roles. People help each other out.
‘‘It takes four full-on days to set up the show for one day’s (show) with a lot of preparation that goes on before hand too,’’ he said.
There were also many people from Methven and the surrounding areas who helped out on the day as stewards and judges.
The show, at the Methven showgrounds on March 16, features a range of activities and entertainment to suit young and old, as well as the usual components of an A&P show. Gate entry costs $20 per adult, children free.
