There is plenty of parking (free) available through Gate 1 on the McKinely Park Reserve. Our Main Show will be in the Racecourse Oval.
Gates open at 9.30am. Cost is $10 per adult over the age of 15 years, under 15 are free.
As an A & P Show we offer a range of activities including Equestrian, Alpacas, Poultry, Home Industries, and a Fun Dog Ring Competitions. If you would like to enter any of these competitions, please contact our Event Organiser at apshowtauranga@gmail.com for more information.
We have Sheep Shearing demonstrations with Animal Magic, the Auckland Strongman, Tauranga Vintage Military, Farming Vehicles and Machinery putting on shows throughout the day. Ross Wilson will be there with his Clydesdale drawn Wagon Ride.
We offer a range of Entertainment options that include On stage the Solo Entertainer Mark Armstrong performing from 10am until 12pm, and the Frisky Business 80's Tribute Show from 12.30 until closure.
Crowd pleasers London and Mousch who interact with the public, fun unlimited rides that provide entertainment for children from 6 months up to adults. When it is so hot, one way to cool off is Dunk tank fun which is supervised.
For the children, we have the very popular colouring the Sheep using freshly shorn wool, as well as Decorating used Horse Shoes. To keep the kids and big kids active are a range of outdoor games that include Gumboot Throwing, Apple Bobbing, Sack Race and Lolly Scramble. We also offer free Face Painting and Balloon Twisting services.
The Creative Fibre Group will be demonstrating a range of activities from Spinning Wool to actually using the finished product.
Our community supports us with their products by way of either sponsoring us or coming along with food products and market or informational stalls which in turn opens these products for the public to enjoy meandering around during the day.
In addition to these is the animal section that includes a range of Poultry. On display will be Chickens, Hens and Roosters, and a Turkey. We have discovered that the public thoroughly enjoy voting on the Most Impressive Chicken.
Home Industries compasses a range of crafts/produce/preserves created by people who do not sell these items commercially. These include the following categories: Sewing, Knitting, Needlework, Art, Photography, Home Produce, Baking and Cake Decorating. On Friday the entries are judged, and then displayed for the public to view on Show Day.
The public are encouraged to enjoy as many of our activities as possible and this also includes our Equestrian Section. Traditionally Thoroughbred Horses are known for being Race Horses, but once retired from the track, they are also known to be very successful Ridden Mounts, and as such this year we are promoting Thoroughbred Horses by holding a Ridden Thoroughbred Class which is a Horse Of The Year Qualifying Event. Each horse will be judged on conformation, their walk and gallop. This class is sponsored by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing through their NZ Thoroughbred Racing A&P Series Challenge. In addition to this, we have a range of Showing/Pony Club Mounts and Harness Horses competing.
Alpacas are competing at our show after a hiatus of a few years. The Alpaca Association of New Zealand have decided to hold a judged show with us this year. We expect to see a number of alpacas from around the Waikato and Bay of Plenty. The Alpaca area is beside the upper end of the Racetrack in McKinely Reserve beside the Public Parking Area.
The Fun Dog Ring is for those family dogs and their human to come out and have some fun in the sun. The morning session is purely to train the dog to use the obstacles and then in the afternoon they have some fun classes to enter, such as a Costume, Waggist tail, Most obedient dog, and Best trick.