Prime minister Christopher Luxon has officially opened the Wānaka A&P Show 2025 with a short speech praising New Zealand farmers and produce, which he described as “the best in the world”.The PM visited late this morning (Friday, March 7), as crowds began to swell on the opening day of the two-day annual show, which is expected to draw around 40,000 attendees in total.As well as opening the show, the PM presented this year’s President’s Trophy - awarded to those who have given outstanding service to the Wānaka A&P Show - to the Young family.The Home Industry section was bustling this morning with the winning selection of scones, flowers, quilts, photos and the like attracting large numbers.A couple of tents down, the Local Larder - billed as a foodie destination showcasing top producers - filled fast when celebrity chef Peter Gordon held the first of four cooking demonstrations to take place across the show.The Home Industries Tent.Wood chopping, farrier and sheep shearing competitions got underway as well as livestock events and performances at the show’s two stages.Winning blooms.Stallholders at some of the 500+ trade stalls said they had had busy mornings but expected sales to continue to pick up into the afternoon and tomorrow.The PM takes a selfie with young show-goers.Saturday is traditionally the busiest day of the show and it will feature annual classics like the Jack Russell Race, Grand Parade, as well as a huge range of other events and entertainment.The Children’s Carnival area.Find more information and to book your tickets, click Wānaka A&P Show.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Local charitable trust Food for Love will be delivering freshly made lunches to trade exhibitors at the 2025 Wānaka A&P Show.Each year Food for Love runs a pop-up cafe at the Upper Clutha Rugby Club but the addition of delivery lunches is taking place for the first time ever at this weekend’s show (March 7-8).“We know how busy exhibitors are and how hard it can be to step away from their stalls, so we’re making it as easy as possible for them to stay well-fed and hydrated during the show,” Food For Love general manager Jodie Stuart said. Anyone who orders will know their purchase is going to a good cause - all proceeds will go back into Food for Love’s mission to provide home-cooked meals to locals in need.Exhibitor orders will need to be made by 10am tomorrow (Thursday March 6).Show-goers will also be able to get their hands on an assortment of goodies - from fresh sandwiches to tasty salads and home-baked treats.Kai Pai Bakery’s famous pies, which Jodie said have been generously donated by the company, will also be on offer.A BBQ will also be sizzling with bacon butties and sausage sizzles, alongside a selection of Food For Love merchandise available for purchase.All on-the-day orders will also support Food for Love, which has seen a huge increase in demand in the last few years.“Last year alone, we prepared and delivered over 9,000 meals, thanks to the support of our incredible volunteers and community,” Jodie said.It expects that number to increase to around 12,000 this year.Book your trade exhibitor lunch here.PHOTO: Food For Love

A young local rider is taking on equestrian events in this week’s Wānaka Show (March 7-8), hoping for “a good day” with her ponies.Boh Fairmaid, 11, has been riding and competing since she was just five years old.She will be riding Ashton Eye Candy in the section C showing; jumping My Masterpiece in show jumping and ‘round the ring’; and riding TF Straight talk in working hunter and show jumping.Boh’s mother Sarah told the Wānaka App that Boh hopes her ponies have “a good day” at the Wānaka Show.“She has two young ponies that will need to deal with a big atmosphere so that will be their challenge,” she said.Boh attended show jumping and the Show Hunter Nationals in Christchurch this year and won the Category C Championship title on TF Straight Torque. Ashton Eye Candy - a pony Boh has taken from green broken - recently won the supreme exhibit at the Mt Benger Show. Boh also won the ‘rising star’ category A show hunter on My Masterpiece at the national championships.Boh has been competing in equestrian events since she was five-years-old.“After the showing season is over Boh hopes to go eventing in the autumn,” Sarah said.Keep an eye out for Boh and her ponies on both Friday and Saturday at the Wānaka A&P Show.PHOTOS: Supplied

Plunket is providing fun and support for families at this year’s Wānaka A&P Show, which takes place next weekend (March 7-8).The Plunket Playground on Pembroke Park is a dedicated free space for children under five to play, explore, and enjoy their time at the Wānaka A&P Show. The area - designed with families in mind - will offer age-appropriate activities, toys, and plenty of room to roam.Plunket manager Bryony Illsley told the Wānaka App the area is also a “safe space” for families to come and feed their babies, change nappies and play. “This year we have a sand pit courtesy of the community workshop and sand supplied from Upper Clutha Transport, with toys provided from the Community Toy Library,” she said. “We have suncream, nappies, sanitary items and we will have a competition to give away a car seat courtesy from Queenstown Lakes District Council.”The Plunket Playground will be open on both Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka’s annual A&P Show, one of the largest in the country, will take place next weekend (March 7-8), and it will feature new classes in the popular Home Industry section.The Home Industry pavilion always draws a crowd throughout the show, spotlighting the community's talents in everything from scarecrow crafting and photography to baking and gardening.Competitions include arts, crafts, flowers, paintings, homebrew, vegetables and baking. It incorporates creations from the local community with exhibitors of all ages.Liz Buggs and Toni Hyslop are this year’s Home Industry co-convenors, and they’ve made some changes to the line-up.Liz told the Wānaka App there are “fabulous” special prizes in the preserves and jams classes.“They include fancy French copper preserving pans and a Lavender Farm gift set,” she said.“We’ve added classes to the Business Cake Bake Off (Class 926 Sponge any flavour) and to the Family Section (Class 1105 Make a Fairy House 30cm x 30cm).  “This brings our class total in the open section to 169 - something for everyone to enter.”There are also 80 junior classes, Liz said.Prize money in most open classes has also doubled this year, bringing the first prize value up to $10, second prize to $6 and third to $4. The junior class prize money has also doubled, with $8 for first place, $5 for second place, $3 for third place, and $2 for fourth place.  The entry fee remains the same as in recent years: just fifty cents for junior classes and open flower classes and $1 for the remaining open classes.Liz said the Home Industry judges this year will be new (with the exception of two): “We operate a two year rotation on the judges to make sure we bring in fresh eyes for our entrants.”This year the Home Industry Float will also be back in the main ring joining in with the Grand Parade on Saturday.Home Industry entries are currently open, and anyone who enters online before Friday (February 28) will go in the draw to win a Barker’s of Geraldine gift box valued at $220.Enter any Home Industry class at the Wānaka A&P Show before Friday to automatically go into the draw.PHOTO: Supplied

The Wānaka A&P Show has teamed up with Wānaka Wastebusters and Cardrona Alpine Resort to tackle organic waste.All organic materials from this year’s show - including food waste from trade exhibitors and attendees, as well as livestock waste - will be collected and transported by Wastebusters to Cardrona, where they’ll be composted as part of the resort’s ‘Plant a Seed’ initiative.  ‘Plant a Seed’ turns composted materials into fertiliser for native plantings across Cardrona and Treble Cone, supporting endemic wildlife and helping restore the natural landscape. Cardrona and Treble Cone general manager Laura Hedley said the partnership was “a great opportunity to highlight how we all have a part to play in sustainability and conservation”. Diverting the show’s organic waste in this way “marks a significant milestone in our sustainability efforts,” Wānaka A&P Show general manager Jane Stalker said.The ‘show to snow’ project also “marks a significant milestone in our sustainability efforts, demonstrating our commitment to reducing the show’s environmental impact”, Wānaka A&P Show general manager Jane Stalker said.Wastebusters has worked with the Wānaka A&P Show for over 10 years, providing recycling services, advice and diversion of horse manure and food waste to private composting. “We're really excited to be part of the next phase of their sustainability journey, collecting food waste from show goers and all hospitality providers and to compost it locally on the mountain at Cardrona,” Wānaka Wastebusters’ business development manager Sophie Ward said.“Our staff will be on hand at the show helping people get their waste into the right bins to help divert as much waste from landfill as we can.” Jane said the partnership with Wastebusters provides show organisers “with the metrics that will enable us to monitor our waste outputs and incorporate this in our year-on-year planning to ensure continuous improvements”.The Wānaka A&P Show - one of New Zealand’s biggest agricultural, pastoral and community events - will return to the Wānaka Showgrounds and Pembroke Park on March 7-8.It will feature traditional drawcards like the equestrian, livestock and home industries events and family-friendly favourites like rides, food trucks and the entertaining Jack Russell race.PHOTOS: Supplied

The Wānaka A&P Show’s new ‘NZ Life & Leisure Local Larder’ space will highlight top food and drink producers at this year’s show.Billed as the ultimate destination for food lovers, it will offer show-goers a chance to taste some of the best artisan cuisine, both from the Upper Clutha and further afield, and meet the producers behind them.Wānaka A&P Show general manager Jane Stalker told the Wānaka App the producers had been hand-picked to feature “a really nice mix of producers”.They include Taste of the Alps, Cardrona Distillery, Kiwi Artisan, Stir Tea and more.Another major drawcard of the Local Larder is chef and restauranter Peter Gordon (ONZM) who is travelling to Wānaka to provide two cooking demonstrations each day.Whanganui-born Peter has cooked for world leaders including Barack Obama and Angela Merkel, and he has eight cookbooks and numerous award winning restaurants to his name.Jane said Peter’s morning demonstrations (10.30am) will focus on restaurant-style dishes and in the afternoon demonstrations (1.30pm) Peter will teach show-goers how to use the best of what’s in their fridge or vegetable patch."Peter Gordon’s the ‘godfather of fusion cuisine’—he’s got a way of taking fresh, local ingredients and turning them into something delicious,” Jane said. “Whether you’re a keen home cook or just love good food, his live demos are going to be a real highlight."The Wānaka A&P Show - one of New Zealand’s biggest agricultural, pastoral and community events - will return to the Wānaka Showgrounds and Pembroke Park on March 7-8.It will feature traditional drawcards like the equestrian, livestock and home industries events and family-friendly favourites like the Farmlands Farmyard, Rural Village and the entertaining Jack Russell race. The NZ Life & Leisure Local Larder area will be located near the A&P Show office and it will be open from 8.30am-5pm on both show days. For further details see A&P Show in your Wānaka App.PHOTO: Supplied

The Wānaka Showgrounds are getting a spruce up with new fencing, tree planting, and other changes planned.Some of the upgrades were discussed at a recent Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) community services workshop in Wānaka.A QLDC spokesperson told the Wānaka App there are ongoing discussions between the council and the showground’s two main users - the Upper Clutha A&P Society and the Upper Clutha Rugby Club - about “potential improvements to the showgrounds reserve, and corresponding costs”.He said the council is working through options with both groups with a view to determining how the council and others may be able to assist. Meanwhile the council is proposing to install a new fence along the section of Mount Aspiring Road, McDougall Street and around the corner on Brownston Street, all before Christmas. “We also plan to plant cherry trees along Wānaka Mount Aspiring Road in keeping with the rest of that area,” the spokesperson said.Wānaka A&P Show general manager Jane Stalker told the Wānaka App the A&P Society is undertaking some “cosmetic changes”, including painting and recladding of the A&P Society buildings adjacent to the showgrounds. She said the society hopes there will also be an upgrade to the gravel driveway into the showgrounds.PHOTO: Wānaka App

The Wānaka A&P Show may have a new attraction next year: the addition of community floats at its grand parade.The show’s management team, which is preparing for the 2025 show (which will take place on March 7-8), said floats would “give community groups a chance to showcase their creativity and talents in a fun, engaging way”. “This new feature will add excitement and celebrate our local community,” the team said.The grand parade takes place at midday on the Saturday of each show, and features all the prize-giving animals being ridden or led round the showgrounds’ main ring.The management team said next year’s show will also feature a new Leisure Horse Section for riders and horses new to the show environment.“It offers a more relaxed experience for those looking to participate without the pressures of competition,” the team said.The Wānaka A&P Show is one of New Zealand's largest agricultural, pastoral and community events.The show has been held at the lakefront showgrounds since 1934. The next A&P Show is scheduled for March 7-8, 2025.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka’s A&P Show is in good shape and focused on next year’s show, says the Upper Clutha A&P Society, which has been in existence since 1895.In contrast, the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch has been cancelled this year because organisers say it is not financially viable.The New Zealand Agricultural Show has been held annually by the Canterbury A&P Association at the showgrounds in Christchurch each November since 1863.No two A&P Shows are the same in either content or structure, Upper Clutha A&P Society chair Keith Cooper told the Wānaka App.“The Upper Clutha A&P Society is committed to creating a showcase event of their rural constituents, to ensure continuity of the heritage of the show but at the same time ensuring it is an event that attracts attendees, competitors, exhibitors and sponsors, who all contribute to the success of the show,” he said.The Upper Clutha A&P Society is committed to continuing the heritage of the show. “We are particularly thankful to the army of volunteers that also contribute to the show and its success.” The Wānaka Show’s cost structure is assisted by the fact the showgrounds (which were donated by the Sargood family) are owned by Queenstown Lakes District Council and protected for the show’s annual use under the Reserves Management Act, Keith said.“The 2024 Upper Clutha A&P Show was again a success,” he said, adding that the organising team is now focusing on the 2025 Show and what innovation is needed “to ensure the show remains relevant and continues to be attractive to a diverse audience”. This year's show attracted 44,000 attendees, who enjoyed an array of exhibits, competitions, and performances. The Upper Clutha A&P Society’s commitment to spotlighting the agricultural core of the event resulted in 1,820 livestock and 1,533 home industry entries. There were also significant changes this year, including the reimagined Rural Village at Gate 2, the new Farmlands Farmyard area, and a simplified pricing model for trade exhibitors.Several initiatives were introduced to reduce the event’s carbon footprint, including bike parking, a trial second Park n Ride service on the Mt Iron Reserve, and paperless entry options. Keith said the society is looking to continue these efforts in future shows.“For the 2024-2025 events funding round QLDC are working in partnership with our sustainability and climate action teams to develop and support events' sustainability measures,” he said.PHOTOS: Supplied

More than 44,000 people attended the Wānaka A&P Show over the past weekend, show organisers say.Organisers of the show were thrilled with the turnout, particularly with the mix of town and country gathering to celebrate New Zealand’s rural roots.“It’s always exciting to see people connect as they explore and stroll around the event,” Wānaka A&P Show general manager Jane Stalker said. “It brings a fun, vibrant buzz to the two-day event and creates a real community feel.The annual Jack Russell Race was won by 15-month-old Fred from Southland. PHOTO: Supplied“This truly comes down to the people who attend and make the show their own.”The 2024 show hosted a entertainment line-up of nine different acts, including headliners the Topp Twins, as well as Adam McGrath from the Eastern, singers Barry Saunders and Jackie Bristow and entertainer Lieutenant Lou. The traditional equestrian and livestock events were also a highlight of the show, along with 513 trade exhibitors and the much-loved Jack Russell race. The Topp Twins performing. PHOTO: SuppliedMore than 90 Jack Russells competed in the quirky race, with Fred – a 15-month-old Jack Russell from Southland – taking out first place.  “The Jack Russell Race is always entertaining to watch, as crowds line the Main Ring and passionately cheer on their favourite canine,” Jane said. “The Show also attracted some exceptional talent in the various livestock and rural competitions this year, which provides an opportunity to show non-rural folk the many wonderful aspects of New Zealand’s agricultural sector. Wood chopping at the Rural Village on Saturday. PHOTO: Supplied“Overall, it has been another sensational Show, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who attended and helped to produce the event. We had more than 270 volunteers this year, which is fantastic.”    The Wānaka A&P Show is one of New Zealand’s largest agricultural and pastoral events.Local rider Zoe Innes jumps a double clear round to earn fourth in a round-the-ring event. PHOTO: Wānaka App Next year’s Wānaka A&P Show will be held on March 7-8, 2025.

Keeping pace with a changing Wānaka is one of the things Jane Stalker loves about her job.Twenty years of co-ordinating the Wānaka A&P Show hasn't dimmed her enthusiasm for keeping Wānaka's diverse community engaged with the annual event. Jane, who has been the show co-ordinator since 1997 (apart from two years in the mid-2000s), says the challenge of organising the show comes down to keeping up with Wānaka and its mentality. “You have to relate it to how Wānaka is and how it was,” she says.Things have changed enormously since Jane's early days in the role, when the show committee comprised close to 60 people and Jane's role was to take the minutes (by hand – there were no computers) at meetings in the Luggate Hall. “The perception of the A&P show was a bit staid; a bit old-fashioned,” Jane says. Expectations were lower in the 1990s, she says, but that began to change eight to 10 years ago – as computers became more important, new people moved into Wānaka, and events such as the Challenge were established.“Wānaka has changed; the whole event industry has changed,” says Jane. Over time the logistics of running the A&P show were streamlined, with fewer people on the committee and rules and regulations standardised. Meanwhile, the expectations of competitors and trade exhibitors also increased. “You're running it as a business now,” she says. “Every year it's changing and you can lift the bar a bit. You can't rest on your laurels.”Some things stay the same, however. “You've got to stay within your core business,” Jane says. She quotes the show's constitution, which was written in 1933: “To provide meetings, concerts and entertainments of every description for the benefit of persons residing in the vicinity of Pembroke.”Jane took the constitution to a lawyer a few years ago in case it needed updating and was told it was just fine. “It's great, I love it,” she says. It encapsulates everything from Mini Muscles to afternoon tea for Elmslie House visitors.Jane calls the Wānaka A&P show – the second biggest in the South Island - “our wee show”, but she is a true Scotswoman. She hails from near Glasgow, but left to travel at the age of 19. In 1988 she was hitchhiking through the Cardrona Valley when she caught a lift from Cardrona identity John Lee. Jane ended up working for the Lees and that's where she met her husband Doug (a former president of the Upper Clutha A&P Society). They now have three children, the eldest, Alannah, was just a baby when Fe Howie suggested the show co-ordinator role would be a good one for Jane, who is trained as a medical secretary.Back then, Jane “didn't know anything about animals”. Raised closer to the city than the country, she now describes herself as “a little bit town, a little bit country”. She loves the diversity of the role, she says, and that includes the people: from farmers in gumboots to corporate sponsors in suits.Jane believes the A&P show has kept pace with Wānaka, and she credits that to support from the committee and the office team. “I think what we do really well is we're all really passionate about it,” she says. “I'm proud the committee has made it such an iconic event.”The Wanaka A&P Show takes place on March 10 & 11.PHOTO: Wanaka App

The Wānaka A&P Show is a regular fixture on the local calendar, attracting tens of thousands of people from all over the country every year, and ahead of the 2023 show, the grounds are buzzing with activity as the many people involved prepare for the crowds and revelry of its 85th year.Enjoying the show is easy: there are equestrian events, farm animal competitions, food, and wine, stalls, entertainment, and regular celebrity sightings. Amid the fanfare it’s easy to forget the long history of the event, its significance to the region, and its roots - which go all the way back to 1700s Britain. The first ‘A&P (Agriculture and Pastoral) Show’ was held in the Scottish Highlands in 1882. Sixteen years later the Royal Agricultural Society was founded in England.In the early days shows were firmly farm and farmer focused, promoting advances in farming and fostering the use of scientific techniques.Pre-boom Wānaka and its smaller A&P Show.European immigrants moving to New Zealand were largely expected to work in agriculture, and the first New Zealand A&P show was held in the Bay of Islands in 1842.By the 1870s, some associations were holding annual shows. From then until the First World War, at least one A&P society was set up each year, and shows became common – in Southland in 1884 shows were held at Riverton, Gore, Wyndham and Invercargill. By the 1950s there were well over 100 shows held annually.Trade stalls add all sorts of shopping opportunities.The Upper Clutha A&P Show was started by local farmers in 1895. The society’s first president was John Hunt (best known as J.S), the grandfather of Phill Hunt, who still farms in the Maungawera Valley with his wife Lizzie Carruthers. Phill and his father Bill were both show presidents.The first local show was held in Alexandra, and in 1933 it was shifted to Wānaka, where it is still based at the same picturesque lakefront site in the centre of town.The modern A&P Show has entertainment galore.Show event manager Jane Stalker, who has been involved since 1997, said things have changed a lot since her early days in the role.“The perception of the A&P show was that it was a bit staid; a bit old-fashioned,” Jane said. Expectations were lower in the past, she says, but that began to change around a decade ago.“Wānaka has changed; the whole event industry has changed,” Jane said. Over time the logistics were streamlined, and the expectations of competitors and trade exhibitors also increased.“It’s run as a business now,” she said. “Every year it's changing and you can lift the bar a bit. You can't rest on your laurels.”The show now attracts roughly 40,000 people each year, including patrons, exhibitors and competitors. It’s one of the South Island’s largest and most popular A&P shows, and it offers a vast variety of reasons to visit.Regular live entertainment is now a mainstay at the event. There are more than 500 stalls, with everything from farming equipment to homeware and clothing available. And of course there are the more traditional events; equestrian and getting to see the animals up close, the famous Jack Russell race, fairground rides for children, and the baking, crafts and photography in the extraordinary home industry displays.Despite the evolution of the Upper Clutha A&P Show, its constitution (written in 1933) still seems appropriate: “To provide meetings, concerts and entertainment of every description for the benefit of persons residing in the vicinity of Pembroke.”Almost 100 years later it still rings true. Perhaps that’s what makes the Wānaka A&P Show so special.PHOTO: Wānaka A&P Show

Fe Howie reckons she didn’t say much at Wānaka A&P Show equestrian committee meetings for almost a decade, but after 30 years of such meetings she plays an integral part in preparations for the show at the Wānaka A&P grounds.Fe laughs now as she tries to recall the date she first attended a committee meeting.“Ooh, it was back in 1989,” she said. “Someone who we were renting a house from said would I be interested in being the show secretary because they knew I was involved with horses. I said no, I’d be a hopeless secretary, but I’d be happy to come on the equestrian committee as that was my interest and I’d help out at the show.”After a few meetings Fe realised that at some point everyone on the committee took a turn at being president and she would eventually have to stand up to talk in front of everyone. When Fe’s good friend Jane Stalker took over as secretary in 1998, Fe started doing the administration side of the horse entries. She continued in this role while also serving as president of the Upper Clutha A&P Society in 2011/12.Some 30 years later, Jane is the show manager and Fe the livestock manager and also chief steward of the 12-strong equestrian committee, all helping to get ready for this year’s show on March 10 and 11.The sheer number of horse and pony classes – 194 in total – is somewhat overwhelming to those outside equestrian sports but to Fe, with her many years of experience and knowledge, that’s just what the show involves.“Many of our classes are governed by the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand which count towards qualifying for the Horse of the Year show. Our show jumping classes are governed by Equestrian Sports NZ, but outside that we run other classes like the Pony Club classes and some games for kids.”Fe believes the current mix of classes offers a good balance, including classes just for locals as other A&P shows do.“There are two events which are particularly prestigious at our show, the Pony Hunter Championship and Hunter Championship which involve qualifying rounds on Friday with the top ten in each competing in Saturday’s final.”Horse entries have increased this year with 270 ponies and horses entered in the 194 classes. “There are always swings and roundabouts in terms of numbers. The basic classes have remained unchanged for many years being part of the Royal Agricultural Society.” Around 12 years ago with Wānaka’s hosting of the Royal Event, Fe’s role expanded into livestock manager alongside her equestrian commitments. She processes all entries for cattle, sheep, and boer goats as well as horses. The Hereford feature show this year means an impressive line-up of about 100 head of cattle. Merino numbers are particularly strong in the sheep section, and Fe rates 53 entries in the boer goats as “really good”. A lot of fleeces come in on the day, but indications are for an excellent display in that pavilion too.“I use a specific programme for A&P shows which gives me all the reports I need for judging, assigning yards and so on. I check if pony height certificates or breed registrations are needed, are they entered in the right section or class. Everything gets collated for the catalogue, then I start printing entry sheets for judges and announcers. Each ring – about 18 in total – has a large plastic box into which we put everything they require like trophies, ribbons, prizes, etc.”When asked how much longer she might continue in these roles for the show, Fe said that she and Jane have literally held each other’s hands since the late ‘90s. “We work together really well, and it’s been our baby for a really long time. I’ve always said, when you go, I go, but it’s a situation I’ll have to assess as we go.”Fe has support in her administration role during the hectic week before the show and during the show itself when she has to be out among entrants and competition rings making sure everything’s as it should be. “We would be remiss if we didn’t have someone who knows how to jump in and run the programme. Hopefully this could lead to having someone ready to take over in time.”Fe’s own links to A&P shows date back to her childhood. “I was born and bred on Castle Point Station and competed in A&P shows on my ponies as a child.”She trained as a laboratory assistant for cancer diagnostics before heading overseas to work as a jillaroo on a big Queensland property and as a stud groom. “I went to Massey and studied wool classing, although I never worked as a wool classer because I went back to polo grooming overseas.” Then came a period of spending her winters in Wānaka, working as a liftie at Cardrona, then North America winters in Florida as a polo groom. “I met Ross (Fe’s husband) here in 1986 and that’s how I ended up staying off the back of ten seasons polo grooming in Australia and the US. I wanted to keep my involvement with horses but didn’t have a horse so offered to help with the local Pony Club and I’ve been involved ever since.”The Hāwea Wānaka Pony Club is a branch of the Central Otago Pony Club and Fe has been branch president and head coach, as well as the club president and head coach. “I continue to coach at the branch here and my daughter Cate went through our local Pony Club too. She still jumps on a horse when she can, but with a young one herself now, it’s not so easy.”Cate has also been roped into the equestrian committee for the show.While Fe no longer rides (following a back fusion last year), she and Ross still have horses on their property near Wānaka airport.The 86th annual Wānaka A&P Show gets underway 8.00am on Friday March 10.PHOTO: Wānaka App