Rotorua A&P Show - January 30/31st 2010

This year was the first time McMoos has attended the Rotorua Show. As Rotorua is Trent and Aimees area (GlenMor) they orgainised the Marquee and its set up and Amanda & Graham, Greg and I decided we would come up to support them and help them with the display and enjoy the ambience of the show, set amoungst the beautiful old trees and meet up with fellow Highland owners who we hadn't caught up with for awhile.

Greg the boys and I, set off on Friday for a nice leisurely trip us the Island to arrive in Rotorua mid afternoon and settled into our Motel for the evening.

Saturday morning we went off down to the show grounds where we met Aimee and Trent who had arrived very early with their animals and all the display gear. They had pretty much sorted everything by the time we arrived so we just helped finish it off.

When Amanda and Graham arrived we were busy chatting with visitors to the Marquee about owning highlands, while they also enjoyed a pat and cuddle with the young calves we had there. Late afternoon, we decided we would have a small change in the position of the display tent. We felt we needed to move slightly sideways so we could be a bit closer to the main traffic flow. We persuaded the Daval highland people, Alison and David who were situated beside us, to do the same. So we helped pick them up and move them over as well. Right all sorted, finishing up time and out for dinner.

Sunday dawns and it had been raining all night and was still raining lightly as we left for the show grounds. On arriving we helped everyone sort out animals for the show ring, which was now going to be held indoors as the weather hadn't cleared. A bit of a shame, but at least they had the indoor option. 10am was the start time for showing, so we were just doing the finishing touches with the moos- Aimee, Greg, Mitch and myself were in our Marquee ready to move the calves over when we heard this horrific bang and crashing noise.... we jumped up and ran to see what on earth it was and very quickly came to realise it was a huge branch from the big oak tree next door to us and it had landed on Amanda's float and another breeder's 4x4 vehicle. When I say a branch, it was the size of a tree on its own, what an awful sight.... the photos taken don't show the true state of what we saw and the damage done. Our biggest worry then was running around trying to make sure that there wasn't anyone or animal stuck underneath the mess.... but a quick search showed no one was, thankfully.

The Rotorua show committee were great and quickly got into action with tapeing the area off and finding a chainsaw to cut it all away from the vehicles. Shane, a Highland Owner that had bought Amandas float down from Auckland for her with the animals, is an aborist, so was happy to put on the gear and get up and try and clean up the mess so the vehicles could be pulled out.

But by now it was 10am, and the showing in the ring had begun. So everyone downed tools and rushed over to the ring, composed themselves ready for showing.

The show was great and all the McMoos animals in the ring did fantastically. Annabelle took the Champion Heifer Calf. Maggie Mae got 1st yearling heifer with 2nd going to Tayla. Conal took Champion Yearling animal, with Maggie Mae as reserve Champion. Senior Cow, Alexandrite and her calf Osgar were placed 2nd, a fantastic result in a large class.

Once showing was over we sorted the animals out and decided that as the rain was still falling and the crowds had dwindled, we might as well pack up the Marquee and all head home. No one was in the mood to hang around.

The float was ok to travel, as its damage was all done to the roof area and sides.... however the 4x4 wasn't. (We think it will be written off). The show committee managed to track down a vehicle that could replace it, so the breeder could get herself and animals home.

But the thing that really sent us spiralling was the fact that we had been in that exact position of the vehicles the day before, with our Marquee. If we hadn't decided to move over slightly, I feel sick to think what would of been!! It would of been horrific.

We all got safely home and now reflect on the weekend. Apart from the drama on Sunday, the weekend was great and the highlight is always catching up with other highland owners and seeing how all their fluffies have grown on and who they have produced ... and just enjoy talking the talk.

Until next time...keep safe and enjoy the summer weather.

Lesley - Mental note to self = never park or sit under big old Oak trees!!!!