Celebrating Community - The A & P Show - A Waimate Institution
What could be more local than the A&P Show held in our own showgrounds? When the first show was held in the late 1800’s, it was more a commercial field day and social opportunity for locals. Today, the show is geared towards entertaining people and bridging the rural/urban divide. It gives exhibitors the opportunity to showcase their talents, whether that be producing wool, growing veges and flowers, baking, or creating art and craft.
Photo Credits: Sharyn Cain
President John Mehrtens says, “The Southern Canterbury Agricultural & Pastoral Association was formed to serve the community in the early days, and that’s what we continue to do.” The Association runs both the annual show as well as owning the grounds where it is held.
Along with the A&P Shears Pavilion, there’s yarding for 460 horses and 20 hectares of grounds available for hire. The facilities are used by a broad range of people and organisations. The Rodeo, Hunt, Pony and Poultry Clubs are regulars, along with SCNO Jumping and SCNO Dressage. The dog park is also on A&P Association land.
The A&P Shears Pavilion can host up to 250 people and sees frequent use, with the Waimate Shears a popular event held annually. The Theatre Company is also known for holding its well-patronised dinner shows there.
This area is the perfect space for weddings — the moment can really be captured in this beautiful environment. A recent celebration saw people camping in the grounds for three days. Large funeral services have also been held at the venue. Helicopters have even landed to deliver guests to events.
And of course, each year we see the March Hare come to town. This place really has something for everyone!
The army moved through the Waimate District recently and used the grounds for a series of training exercises. Personnel were required to treat the environment and scenarios as if they were in the thick of an active operation. Those assigned as the opposing force weren’t afforded the same comforts as the main contingent; they were denied access to the hot showers in the Pavilion and expected to operate as though deployed away from home, far from creature comforts. NZ Police also make use of the grounds, training their dog teams in an open, real‑world environment.
The Southern Canterbury A&P Association is a registered charity that exists for the betterment of the Waimate community. Income is earned from hiring out facilities, entry fees, sponsorship and gate takings. Being a charity, it relies heavily on dedicated volunteers to manage the show and maintain the facilities in great standing order.
To help support the A&P Association, people can sign up for membership for $30/year, which entitles you and your partner free entry to the show as well as parking. Children under 16 years are always admitted free. Members can also utilise the grounds (when they’re not in use) to ride their horses. Apply for membership at https://www.scshow.co.nz/membership/ or email Reto Oswald on info@scshow.co.nz.
If you’re interested in supporting a local institution or volunteering, contact John Mehrtens on 027 688 5593.
The Association is also looking for people who’d like to be active on the Committee. A big question for the Committee is where to from here? If you’ve got some fresh ideas about keeping the show and grounds relevant for today, they’d love to hear from you.