North Canterbury News: December 23, 2020

Rodeo provides afamily day of fun
By ROBYN BRISTOW
Cowboys and cowgirls from
throughout New Zealand will
head to the Mandeville Sports
CentreonSaturday,January
4, for Canterbury’s Te Mania
Angus Rodeo.
The gates openat9am, with
the action starting at 10.30am.
Slacks, arodeo term for the
overflow of competitors in
eventswith high entries,open
the show.The second division
bull­ridingfollows around
11.30am.
The main rodeo
performance will take centrestage
after alunch breakat
roughly 1pm. There willbe
bareback riding,and bucking
bulls testing the top athletes.
There will also be roping,
barrel­racing and steer
wrestling.
Not all the action will be in
the ring,with the rodeo agreat
fun family day out, providing
plentyofentertainment for
the kids.
There will be alolly
scramble,abouncy castle,
helicopter rides, food and bar
facilities.
This will give mums, dads
and caregiversplenty of time
to relax on arug on the bank
and soak up the live action.
Hot and coldfood and
drinks are available, or
people can packachillybin
with food to eat while enjoying
the action in the ring.
Top NorthCanterbury
cowboy and Canterbury
Rodeovice­president Tim
Costello will not be competing
this year.
Tim has optedtofocus on
looking afterthe horses that
he runs near Hawarden. He
will be bringing six broncs to
the rodeo.
The remainingbucking
horses are being provided by
the Methven RodeoClub.
The bucking bulls are
courtesyofCanterbury club
members William Jamison
and DuncanMackintosh.
Plenty of bounce ... Tim Costello will be taking six of his broncs to Canterbury’s Te Mania Angus
Rodeo.
PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Competitors to watch
include last year’s champion
saddle broncrider, Jeremy
Dillon, fromCheviot.
He willhave to match the
Whitelock brothers, Joe and
Lane,from HawkesBay.
In the bareback riding
section, Omihi’s Liam
Hofsteedwill be one to keep
an eye on. He is going for his
first nationaltitle this year.
In the bull riding,there will
be Merv ChurchJr. and Paddy
Church coming down from the
North Islandinabid to win
some of the prize money
In the barrel racing, there
are multiple club members,
including afinals qualifier
from last year, Chanelle Dicki.
Chanelle is easy to spot,
usually sporting somebright
fashion.
Last year’s rookie champion
Nancy Franco willhave her
work cut out to beatRhondine
Long, from Oamaru, who was
the winner of last year’s
Canterbury Rodeo.
Keep an eye on last year’s
rope­and­tie champion
MarcusSpencer­Bower, who
is aMandevillelocal.
Book now at trybooking.co.
nz/FSI.
Gate prices: Families $60,
adults$25, children aged 5to
10 years $15, under 5s free.
The Mandeville Sports Centre
will be signpostedfrom the
motorway, north of
Christchurch. No glass, No
BYO alcohol,nobarbecues.
Ready for action ... William Jamison’s bull will be in action at the
rodeo.
HOLIDAYS
North Canterbury News, December 23, 2020
15
Why not
enjoy a
staycation?
By SHELLEY TOPP
Travel agents always know where
the best holiday spots are, so where
wouldthey go for astaycation in
theirown backyard?
For Jonathan Prager, owneroperator
of House of Travel
Rangiora, his choice wouldbea
tour of Waipara’s wine­growing
area.‘‘Thewineries are superb and
they are producing world­class
wines. It is aprettyamazingplace.’’
Jonathan took his sister, Bernice,
for aday trip through Waipara
about2 1 ⁄2years ago whenshe was
visiting NorthCanterbury from her
home in Britain. ‘‘She absolutely
lovedthe trip.Apart fromsampling
so manygreatwines, the
atmosphere and food at the various
wineries was superb. We visited
Waipara Hills, Pegasus Bayand
Waipara Springs.’’
Jonathan was the sober driver
that day so his sister could do the
wine tasting.
‘‘It is an absolutely fantastic day
trip and Ireally recommend
visiting several wineriesinone
day.’’
More recently,hetook awine
connoisseur friend fromBritain on
the trip and ‘‘heloved it too’’.
However, for HouseofTravel
Rangiora seniortravel consultant
Graham Kevern, akeen cyclist,
Hanmer Springs is hard to beat
because of the seemingly endless
trails availablefor walking and
cycling —and thehot pools for
relaxing in afterwards.
‘‘There is somethingfor
everyone,ofall ages and skill
levels,’’ he says. ‘‘Andifyou do have
afall on the trail, you can have a
soak in the hot pools at the end of
the day to soothe away any aches
and pains.’’
Mountain bikes and electric
bikes are available for hireinthe
village.
‘‘So if you havebeen thinking
about buying an e­bike,thisisa
goodopportunity to try one out
before makingthat investment.’’
Scavenger hunt planned
By DAVID HILL
Waimakariri youth areplanning a
scavenger hunt to encouragepeople
to explorethe district this summer.
WaiYouth willpost clues on its
social mediafor different locations in
Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Oxford, Woodend
and Pegasus to find ahidden QR
code,Waimakariri District Council
youthfacilitator Sam Redman says.
‘‘Each QR code, when scanned,will
give you aclue and when you put it
all together it will give the details of
the first event for 2021.
‘‘Theyouth wanted to do something
that could tick over and didn’t
require too much input, and was
something anyonecould do.’’
Once participants have all the
clues, theycan add them in the
online form on the new waiyouth.nz
to enter the competition.
Prizes from thescavengerhunt will
be presented at WaiYouth’s first
eventin2021.
Sam says the new websitewill
provide ‘‘a one­stop shop’’ alongside
WaiYouth’sspresence on Instagram
and Facebook, withinformation
abouteventsand how to get involved.
While he cannot reveal the details
yet,Sam says the first event in 2021
‘‘will be one of the biggest events
WaiYouthhas run’’.
‘‘After the yearthat’s been,
WaiYouthwas keen to start 2021 with
abang, so watch this space or go and
findthe clues,’’ Sam says.
The Waimakariri Youth Council is
alsoplanning for abusy 2021, with its
Dudley Park project consultationto
kickoff in the New Year.
‘‘Thingshave been slower than we
expected, but we wanted to do it
right,’’ Samsays.
‘‘It’s the first projectofthis kind
thatthe youth council has taken on,
so they willbereallyexcitedtosee
somemovementonitthis year.’’
The youthcouncilisalso planning
to tackle an environmental project
and willbemaking submissions for
the District Plan and the Long Term
Plannext year.
Withmore than 9000 youth living in
the district, Sam encourages young
people to get in touch with the youth
counciltomake sure their viewsare
represented. Recruitment for both
groups will alsobegininthe New
Year, with two vacancies to fill.
Signage pulls businesses together
By ROBYN BRISTOW
Apush for signage on
the main highway near
Waipara has given rise
to greater collaboration
between local wineries
and the Iron Ridge
Sculpture Park.
Jill Chapman, from
Terrace Edge Vineyard,
says it has taken ayear
to get the signage up on
State Highway 1.
‘‘It has been ahugely
costly exercise getting
the signage up, but it has
developed alovely
collaborative approach
for the family businesses
down the south bank of
the Waipara River,’’ Jill
says.
ADiscover South
Bank event will be held
on January 24. People
are encouraged to visit
the wineries on Georges
and Rampaddock roads,
and enjoy wine seminars
and other activities.
Atoastto
signage ...
From left, Jill
Chapman,of
Terrace Edge;
Raymond
Herber, of Iron
Ridge
Sculpture
Park;Kirk Bray,
of Georges
Road Winery;
and Jack Hill
and Vic Tutton,
from The
Boneline
winery.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED