North Canterbury News: February 20, 2020

AMURI A&P SHOW, MARCH 7
28 North Canterbury News, February 20, 2020
Entries
buoyant
By ROBYN BRISTOW
More than 1000 entries had
been received by Amuri A&P
Association secretary Kim
Balcombe when entries closed
this week for the annual show
at the Rotherham Domain.
She says entries are
particularly strong in the horse
and sheep sections, with agood
spread across the cooking,
home industries, handcrafts,
photography, art,
woodchopping, and arable
sections.
Floral and vegetable entries,
taken on show day, will further
boost the entries.
Kim, who is the clinic coordinator
at North Canterbury
Veterinary Clinics in
Culverden, has taken over as
secretary this year.
She says working fulltime
and preparing for the show has
been achallenge, but
something she is enjoying
doing for the community.
As clinic co­ordinator, Kim is
well known throughout the
Amuri by dairy and sheep
farmers, and is looking forward
to meeting many of them at the
show.
She says alot of work goes on
behind the scenes before the
big day, and she is thrilled
people have again supported
the annual event through their
entries in the various classes
and competitions.
Trans-Tasman rivalry put to test
By DAVID HILL
SomeofAustralia's top
woodchoppers are set to
converge on the Amuri A&P
Shownext month.
An Australianveterans
teamwill be competing
against aNew Zealand
selection, as part of afull
day's woodchopping
programmeatthe
Rotherham Showgrounds on
Saturday,March 7.
OrganiserKelly Earl says
he expects the Australians to
put on agood display.
“They might be getting
older, but they're pretty
sharp.
‘‘There are some former
Australian champsand some
of them have competed
internationally, so our
younger guys will certainly
be struggling to beat them.”
Withthe SouthIsland
championshipsbeing held in
Invercargill the same
weekend, Kelly admits
putting together aNew
Zealandteam to take on the
Australianshas proveda
challenge, but he has
recruitedsome top North
Island choppers and a
couple of locals.
He says the Australians
willbetaking on the New
Zealandveteransteam the
followingweekend, so the
Amuri A&P Show allows the
teamtoget some practice in
and see abit moreofthe
South Island.
“They will be competitive,
❛They might be
getting older, but
they're pretty
sharp.❜
—Kelly Earl
don't worry about that,but
it's moreofaninvitational
thing.”
While the Australian team
will likely be more
experienced than their New
Zealand opponents, the
competitors will be chopping
“our wood”, giving the locals
ahandy advantage.
Woodchoppingwas first
introduced to the Amuri
A&P Show last year when it
playedhost to the South
Islandchampionships,and
Kelly hopesthat hostingthe
Australianveterans willhelp
cementthe sport as an
annualfixtureatthe show.
“Threeyears ago afew of
the local guys asked me if
there was any chance we
could get woodchoppingat
the Amuri show.
“It took abit of work to get
it started, so hopefully we
can keep it going becauseit's
agreatsport and it's partof
our New Zealand heritage.”
There willbeafull day's
programmeof
woodchopping from 9.30am
to 4pm,including underhand
chopping, the standing
chop, tree­climbing and
singleand double sawing.
Up against the Aussies ... Kiwi talent will be taking on agroup of
experienced Australian woodchoppers at the Amuri A&P Show.
PHOTO: FILE
We operate the following machinery...
● EXCAVATORS ● DOZERS
● DUMP TRUCKS ● LOADERS
● ROLLER ● TRUCK &TRAILER
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And offer thefollowing services
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