The Te Puke community has come out in droves today for the 117^th Te Puke A&P Lifestyle Show.

Gates opened at the A&P Showgrounds Road in Paengaroa at 7am with the event itself and activities kicking off at 9am.

There was something for everyone, with mechanical bull riding, a fun dog ring, a strongman and strongwoman competition, lawn mower racing, and the popular sheep racing.

Other competitions included lawn mower racing, the digger competition, the truck and tractor pulling competition, horse shoe throwing, gumboot throwing, competitions for children, and the YFC Tug of War with Young Fruitgrowers. The winning gumboot throw was 13.8metres.

Sheep and their jockeys resting after the sheep racing. Photo: Tyson Smith.

On show were vehicles from the jag club, trike, club, mini club and classic cars, as well as tractors.

Sheep shearing, dairy cattle, calves, and home industries were on display, along with trade spaces, displays from Te Puke Fire Brigade and Maketu Coastguard, and food, entertainment and a bar available.

The official opening at 12pm was followed by the Hounds & Huntsman Parade in the main ring.

'It's good to be back,” says East Coast MP Kiri Allen. 'Two years of not being able to be here, but we're back amongst friends and our core community group.”

Display by Te Puke Fire Brigade. Photo: Tyson Smith.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay also expressed appreciation for the annual event finally being able to go ahead once again after the hiatus due to Covid and lockdowns.

'The community is feeling good, and the rural section is having a celebration today, shaking off the wet weather, and coming together to relax a bit in the sun,” says Todd.

Todd has had a stall at the Te Puke A&P show ever since he became an MP, as a way to meet and connect with people. Te Puke is part of the Rotorua electorate.

'This is about the 12^th time I've had a stall here, it's great to be a part of the community,” says Todd.

Tractor pulling competition at the Te Puke A&P Lifestyle Show. Photo: Tyson Smith.

Kiri, who grew up in Paengaroa, has been coming to the show since she was a little child.

'And every year as an MP,” says Kiri. 'And now that my daughter is five she loves coming to it. This is her third one. My dad used to run a stall and we've been coming - like forever.

'It's epic that we can be back at the A&P Show. Back amongst our horticultural and agricultural sector.

'I got into politics for two reasons – first as a lawyer so I could see how the law could operate efficiently, and then for the regions and rural development,” says Kiri who is the Minister of Justice, Minister for Regional Development, as well as Associate Minister of Transport.

Shearing at theTe Puke A&P Lifestyle Show. Photo: Tyson Smith.

A 1927 Rolls Royce Phantom Springfield version (American left hand drive) built in the USA, and restored here. On display at the Te Puke A&P Lifestyle Show. Photo: Tyson Smith.

He spent the day chatting with people from the local farming and horticultural region.

'You get a lot of people at the show who are small block holders with dairy animals as well. Predominantly the people coming along have kiwifruit,” says Todd.

'There's a lot of uncertainty around but they're smiling because the sun was here.”

He says from a political point of view, people are raising the cost of living and uncertainty around that, with him.

'On orchards and farms there are labour shortages. A lot of people are asking what National would do for the rural sector particularly stopping all the rules of bureaucracy that are coming from the government that cost them money. A lot are worried about rural law and order. It's an eye opener after not having an A P show for so long, it was interesting to find out what concerns people have.”

Rotorua MP Todd McClay with Te Ranga School pupil Laura Jurasovich, who won the 'Guess the number of Lollies in the Jar" competition. Photo: Supplied.

He held a ‘Guess the number of lollies in a jar' at his stall.

'A young lady called Laura Jurasovich, age 10 years from Te Puke guessed the correct number,” says Todd. 'She was delighted to be taking home 97 milkshake lollies and Dad wasn't getting any – that was fun to see.”

Sheep and their jockeys resting after the sheep racing. Photo: Tyson Smith.