Kem Ormond takes a look at the farming world back in the day. In this week’s Pastures Past, she revisits the Royal Show through newspaper reports from the 1930s.
Back in the 1930s, Royal Shows were a highlight of New Zealand’s rural calendar, and it was common for farmers to show off their best stock.
The event drew large crowds and was the place to see some of the country’s finest animals. Breeders took great pride in presenting them at their best, and winning a ribbon brought valuable bragging rights.
While the Royal Show disappeared for several years after 2010, the name returned to Canterbury in 2025.
Below is a selection of historical stories from the Hawke’s Bay Tribune (1930) and the New Zealand Herald (1938).
Attendance at Royal Show
Increase over last year.
£1,764 taken at gates.
Hawke’s Bay Tribune, October 29, 1930
Last year, on the Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Society’s People’s Day, the attendance was estimated at 25,590.
This year at the Royal Show, the attendance on People’s Day was 26,287.
This must be considered exceptionally good when the hard times and the state of the weather are taken into account.
The attendance was a record.
Rain fell on People’s Day, also, which no doubt accounted for many not going.
The gate receipts for the 1929 show were: —First day £223 14/6: second day, £1395 0/6: total, £1,618 15/.
The attendance at the Royal Show was as follows: first day, £8O 17/6; second day, £450 4/-: third day, £1,233 6/6: total, £1.764 8/-.
The membership of the society increased from 2,134 at the 1929 show to 2,599 for the Royal Show.
Dairy section
Fine quality cattle
Some notable entries
Four breeds on show
Many Waikato entries
[By Telegraph—special reporter]
New Zealand Herald, 28 October 1938
Hamilton. Thursday.
With one hundred entries in the four dairy sections, some of the finest cattle to be seen anywhere in New Zealand were assembled at the 15th Royal Show at Claudelands today.
The breeds were Jerseys, Friesians, Ayrshires, and milking Shorthorns.
Although the entries were by no means representative of the whole Dominion, most of the best-known Waikato breeders exhibited, as well as a fair number from further afield.
Generally speaking, the exhibits were well up to Royal Show standard.
Great care had been taken by the exhibitors in preparing their stock for the show, and the animals were in excellent condition.
During much of the time the judging was in progress, a light drizzle and at times fairly heavy rain fell.
Notwithstanding the adverse circumstances, large crowds surrounded the show ring and took a keen interest in the deliberations of the judges.
Comments on Jerseys
Apart from the 400 entries in the calf classes, which will be judged tomorrow, there were 135 Jerseys on parade.
As this breed is pre-eminent among the butter-fat producers of the Waikato, the standard reached was fairly satisfactory.
The judge, Mr. L. A. Higgins, of Nelson, said the classes were large and included some really good animals.
He was a little disappointed, however, with the weakness of some of the unplaced entries.
In a Royal Show one hardly expected to see a “tail” to a class.
Another expert who witnessed the judging was somewhat more critical.
In his view, the exhibits were little better than those usually seen at a provincial show.
He considered that the exhibits at the last New Plymouth show reached a higher standard than many of those on view today.
An Outstanding Bull
He also expressed disappointment that Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, North Auckland and the South Island were not well represented.
The champion bull, Mr. W. H. Jokins’ “Keeper Marquis,” was described as being an animal of outstanding quality, true to type, and of excellent constitution.
The reserve champion, Mr. J. Bones’ “Greencroft Ace,” was also highly praised.
A local animal, a beautiful fawn, “Beachlands Fairy Sunray,” bred by Messrs. A. Moreland and Sons, was awarded the championship in the cow class.
Friesians and Ayrshires
Pleasure with the quality of Friesians exhibited was expressed by the judge, Mr. L. H. Leslie, of Rangiora.
He said the entries were of very good quality and quite up to Royal Show standard.
Most of the animals were locally-bred, although one line from Wairarapa was penned.
The younger cattle were of outstanding quality, while the winner of the three-year-old heifer class was an animal of great merit.
The Ayrshires equalled the Friesians in their numerical strength, there being 102 entries.
The cows were described by the judge. Mr. W. J. Gillies, of Hampden, as being a particularly good class, although some of them showed lack of condition.
The placewinners were exceptionally good and compared favourably with anything he had seen elsewhere.
The junior bull section provided the champion and reserve champion and the entries were superior to the older animals.
Local exhibitors were in the majority, but, notwithstanding this fact, the entries, in the judge’s opinion, were up to Royal Show standard.
An Enthusiastic Judge
“It is the best show I have seen,” said Mr. C. T. Grant, of Invercargill, judge of the milking Shorthorns, in appraising the animals that came before him.
Although there were only 58-entries, the exhibits were of a uniformly high quality and there was no “tail” to any of the classes.
Mr. Grant said he was greatly impressed with the championship cow.
All the placed entries were true to type, of great constitution and stylish appearance.
Mr. Grant said it was a pleasure to judge the animals and note their excellent condition.
Mr. D. J. Holden’s entries, Clipper of Te Puna and Vindictive of Te Puna, won the championship and reserve championship in the bull section, while the same owner secured the championship awards in the cow class.
- Source: Papers Past