A & P Show

**Trudes** · 28th July 2009, 14:10

Who used to go to the A & P show when they were a kid?
Maybe you still go, and take your kids, or maybe just go to ride the Ferris Wheel and spit on the people below?
Maybe you never went and have no idea what the A & P show is?

I was just thinking about the Gisborne A & P show, and how when I was growing up it was THE highlight of the year in Gisborne for us kids.
The Gisborne A & P Show is a Spring show held on a Friday and Saturday and you could guarantee it would piss down at least one of the days, if not both and where the side shows were (the rides and games part of the show) would turn into a big mud pool. My mum would buy us all new outfits for the show and I'd always end up wearing gumboots with my pretty new dress and still come home covered in mud and drenched. Oh the fun!!!
My mum would give my brother $50 to win me a big soft toy at the slug guns, it usually only cost about $10 for him to win it and he'd get to keep the rest to bugger off with his mates and get as pissed as a chook.
When I got a bit older I was allowed to wag school on the Friday and go with my mates so my mum wouldn't have to get dragged on the rides like the Octopus, the Sizzler, the Round-up and the Superloop that would make her feel sick after a hotdog and candy floss.
So anyone got any memories of the A & P show?
I miss it. I think the next one close to Wellington is probably the one they have in Fielding in November... maybe I should go this year!!

Anyone wanna come ride the Ferris wheel and spit on people with me??

**MIXONE** · 28th July 2009, 14:44

The Whakatane A&P show used to have grass track racing which for me was the highlight.One year the co-owner of the local Yamaha shop,who had a prosthetic leg, was racing.During the race his leg straps let go and his falsey went flying through the air.The reaction from the majority of the spectators, who didn't know it was false, was classic.

**one fast tl1ooo** · 28th July 2009, 14:45

Originally Posted by MIXONE

The Whakatane A&P show used to have grass track racing which for me was the highlight.One year the co-owner of the local Yamaha shop,who had a prosthetic leg, was racing.During the race his leg straps let go and his falsey went flying through the air.The reaction from the majority of the spectators, who didn't know it was false, was classic.

**Stirts** · 28th July 2009, 15:05

Shitloads of memories from the Gizzy A&P show.

Dad used to take me when I was little. Just me and him. Used to spoil me rotten, buy me shitloads of candyfloss!!

Broke his heart when I got a little older and wanted to go with friends, probably because he didn't have an excuse to go on all the rides after that.

One incident I remember well, I was probably only about 6ish, had a helium balloon and some arselicker came along and popped it with his smoke as he walked by. I don't remember getting too fazed by the ordeal but Dad being the angry little Scotsman flew into a rage and got right up in this mans face (Dad was only 5'5") and made him go buy me another balloon.

He was my hero from that day on

**slofox** · 28th July 2009, 15:19

Sneaking into the Waikato A&P through the Claudelands Bush to avoid paying 1/6 entry fee....

**allycatz** · 28th July 2009, 15:58

Yeah we used to go to the Horowhenua (Levin) Show...Dad would head for the wood chopping and Mum and girls to the Highland dancing

**soundbeltfarm** · 28th July 2009, 16:36

one year at the hawera a & p show they had a natural mx track running. that was pretty cool but they not had it for years.
we normally go but you see so many people you know and not seen fopr ages and you end up yaking most of the day but now with the kids really into rides we get dragged at a fast rate of knots to the rides.

**Trudes** · 28th July 2009, 18:14

I remember it being a really cool family thing as a kid. Saturday we'd all go, mum, dad and us 3 kids... was about the only thing we all did as a family, dad would actually take a day off work

So it holds some special memories for me. I was thinking about all the "City kids" that have probably never experienced the A & P show. Maybe I'll take the kids I look after to one one day, I reckon they'd get a kick out of it!

**allycatz** · 28th July 2009, 18:17

I always enjoyed picnic lunch but always seemed we had to dodge cowpats in a paddock somewhere to sit and eat it. Dad always had his little suitcase with flagons in (days before drink & driving)

**AllanB** · 28th July 2009, 18:21

We do the rounds around the Canterbury ones each year with the kids - they love them. It's a cheap days out with the family and fun.

Plus there are lots of lovely sheep to look at.

**Highlander** · 28th July 2009, 18:23

Yup we did the Gizzy A & P show most years.
Rain nad mud were a big part of it. Some times the weather didn't play ball though, and there was sun shine (and sun burn to go with it).
I remember the first year the Superloop was there, big line waiting then when it was at the top someone lost their lunch, suddenly no cue (couple of girls at the front of the cue were too slow and caught the pre used lunch).

This could almost turn into a "Who used to live in Gisborne" thread

**duckonin** · 28th July 2009, 18:26

Trentham, Marsterton or was that Carterton and Hawke's bay all good, used to drive an omnibus with two Clydies attached from the Trentham railway station to the show grounds...NZ was a better place to live in those days, still good but was better..

**Kickaha** · 28th July 2009, 18:33

We go to the odd one or two every year, went to the Cheviot one this year which I last went to about 20+ years ago, nothing much had changed

**Trudes** · 28th July 2009, 18:50

Originally Posted by Highlander

Yup we did the Gizzy A & P show most years.
Rain nad mud were a big part of it. Some times the weather didn't play ball though, and there was sun shine (and sun burn to go with it).
I remember the first year the Superloop was there, big line waiting then when it was at the top someone lost their lunch, suddenly no cue (couple of girls at the front of the cue were too slow and caught the pre used lunch).

This could almost turn into a "Who used to live in Gisborne" thread

sad isn't it! It really was the only interesting thing that happened on a regular basis there eh?!