Canterbury A&P Show

The first Agricultural and Pastoral Show in Christchurch was held in a paddock north of Latimer Square on 22 October 1862.{{sfn|Wigram|1916|p=257}} The Canterbury A&P Association was formed a few weeks later on 23 January 1863, with Robert Wilkin as its first president.{{sfn|Wigram|1916|p=257}} In April 1863, the A&P Association purchased {{convert|14|acre}} in Colombo Street South for show grounds; this is now Sydenham Park.{{sfn|Wigram|1916|p=257}} In November 1887, new show grounds opened in Addington.{{sfn|Wigram|1916|p=262}}

In 1996, a much larger facility of {{convert|145|ha|sqkm}} was bought in Wigram located on Curletts Road; it was the first purpose-built facility in New Zealand. It was named Canterbury Agricultural Park and was first used for the 1997 show.

In 2018, the association took the decision to rebrand the show to the New Zealand Agricultural Show. The move caused some controversy amongst the Royal Agricultural Society.{{citation|title=Association opts for rebranding|language=en|work=Otago Daily Times |date=7 August 2018|access-date=27 January 2024|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/rural-life-other/association-opts-rebranding|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20180808112427/https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/rural-life-other/association-opts-rebranding|archive-date=8 August 2018}} In recent years the show has trended away from its origin as a commercial farming trade show, and moved more towards an outdoor retail, education{{citation|title=Showcasing why farming matters|language=en|work=Rural News Group|first1=Nigel|last1=Malthus|date=9 November 2023|access-date=27 January 2024|url=https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-management/showcasing-why-farming-matters|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231110142239/https://ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-management/showcasing-why-farming-matters|archive-date=10 November 2023}} and entertainment event.{{citation|title=What I discovered at New Zealand's biggest agricultural show|language=en|work=The Spinoff |first1=Alex|last1=Casey|date=17 November 2023|access-date=27 January 2024|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/17-11-2023/my-first-time-at-new-zealands-biggest-agricultural-show}}

The only cancellations were in 1919,{{citation needed|date=January 2024|reason=There is no mention of a cancellation in The Press for November 1919, in fact [https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19191113.2.82 this article] suggests it went ahead.}} 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 lockdowns.{{citation|title=Canterbury's famed agricultural show cancelled for second time due to Covid-19|language=en|work=Stuff |first1=Steven|last1=Walton|date=6 October 2021|access-date=27 January 2024|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126609154/canterburys-famed-agricultural-show-cancelled-for-second-time-due-to-covid19|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221108182305/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126609154/canterburys-famed-agricultural-show-cancelled-for-second-time-due-to-covid19|archive-date=8 November 2022}} In 2024 the show was cancelled due to financial difficulties,{{Cite news |title=New Zealand Agricultural Show scrapped for 2024 |first1=Tatiana |last1=Gibbs |first2=Sinead |last2=Gill |date=17 April 2024 |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350247899/new-zealand-agricultural-show-scrapped-2024 |access-date=2 May 2024 |work=Stuff }} however it was later reinstated to go ahead as The Christchurch Show.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-12 |title=‘Slimmed-down’: NZ Agricultural Show to go ahead this year |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/nz-agricultural-show-to-go-ahead-this-year-as-the-christchurch-show/XITP4VXKQRH33OGZXQFZTQCAWE/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}} Attendance was 115,000 visitors over the weekend in 2022,{{citation|title=Canterbury A&P Show a 'huge success' after 115,000 turn out|language=en|work=Newstalk ZB |date=13 November 2022 |access-date=27 January 2024 |url= https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/canterbury-agricultural-show-huge-success-after-115-000-turn-out/|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221125211431/https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/canterbury-agricultural-show-huge-success-after-115-000-turn-out/|archive-date=25 November 2022}} and 125,000 in 2023.{{citation|title=Boot bonanza on final Show day|language=en|work=The Press |url-access=subscription|first1=Brett|last1=Kerr-Laurie|date=17 November 2023|access-date=27 January 2024|url=https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350113244/boot-bonanza-final-show-day}}

New Zealand law provides an anniversary day for each province. The anniversary day for the Canterbury Province was originally 16 December, the day of the arrival in 1850 of the first two of the First Four Ships, the Charlotte Jane and the Randolph.{{cite web |last=Swarbrick |first=Nancy |title=Public holidays – Celebrating communities |url= http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/32464/provincial-anniversary-days |publisher=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=20 April 2014 |date=16 December 2013}} The Friday of the A&P Show had since at least 1918 been the People's Day or Show Day,{{cite web |title=The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association Show |url= http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/heritage/earlychristchurch/canterburyagriculturalandpastoralassociation.asp |publisher=Christchurch City Libraries |access-date=20 April 2014}} and sometime between 1955 and 1958, Christchurch City Council moved the anniversary day to coincide with Show Day, as this allowed banks and businesses to close and people to attend the A&P Show.

The definition for Show Day is the "second Friday after the first Tuesday of November (i.e. Show Day will be two weeks after the first Tuesday in November — on a Friday, mainly so that it does not clash with the Melbourne Cup Racing Carnival)" (note that Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday in November).{{cite web |title=New Zealand Cup and Show Week and Canterbury Anniversary |url= http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/society/culture/holidays/cupshowweek/ |publisher=Christchurch City Libraries |access-date=20 April 2014}} The anniversary day as set for the A&P Show is observed in mid and North Canterbury, whilst South Canterbury observes Dominion Day (the fourth Monday of September).{{cite web|title=New Zealand public holiday dates 2011–13 |url=http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/holidaysandleave/publicholidays/publicholidaydates/past-dates.asp |publisher=Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |access-date=20 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420054112/http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/holidaysandleave/publicholidays/publicholidaydates/past-dates.asp |archive-date=20 April 2014 }}

The Show coincides with the Cup week that has the a number of major horse and greyhound races, notably:

• the New Zealand Trotting Cup for harness racing (pacers) on the Tuesday at Addington Raceway.
• the New Zealand Cup for Greyhounds on the Thursday at Addington Raceway.
• the New Zealand Cup for thoroughbred racing (gallopers) on the Saturday at Riccarton Park Racecourse.

The various race meetings contain a number of other key races in each of these racing codes.

• Harness racing in New Zealand
• Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=The Story of Christchurch, New Zealand |url=https://archive.org/details/storyofchristchu00wigriala |last=Wigram |first=Henry |author-link=Henry Wigram |publisher=Lyttelton Times |location=Christchurch |year=1916}}
• [http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/shows-and-field-days/1 A&P Societies and Shows]

• [http://www.theshow.co.nz Canterbury A&P Show]
• [https://www.flickr.com/photos/christchurchcitylibraries/sets/72157624608597273 Mostly historic photos] of the Canterbury A&P Show on Flickr

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canterbury AandP Show}}

Category:Agricultural shows in New Zealand

Category:Tourist attractions in the Canterbury Region

Category:Spring (season) in New Zealand

Category:Events in Christchurch