PHOTOS: SIGRID CHRISTIANSEN
ARIA Sports Day is famously hot: locals compete for spots under the shady trees lining the village’s sports ground, St Helen’s domain.
Not so on Waitangi Day 2023.
Locals huddled under raincoats and umbrellas as the drizzle turned chilly; the turnout was modest but committed. Redbands and even a few Swanndris defended dripping locals against the unseasonable downpour.
Shearing identity Sir David Fagan was pleased organisers persisted despite the challenges.
“It’s really good, Aria sports carrying on with the weather the way that it is,” he said.
“It’s testing and trying for the organisers at these events. Sometimes it’s too easy to cancel when the weather gets bad, but everyone’s digging it in and doing what they’ve got to do to make it work. It’s really good.”
He said the shearing and woolhandling events could go ahead thanks to the way the animals had been managed.
“The sheep were kept dry, under cover. The farmer’s done that. The entries are really good here today, guys from all over the country.”
As a man of the land, Sir David was not personally disappointed by the weather: “I’d describe it as brilliant, as a farmer.”
Equestrian events carried on as the big and little riders shrugged off the ongoing drizzle.
Co-organiser Anna Nelson had been concerned about the forecast and what it could mean when the King Country News spoke to her at the beginning of Aria Sports.
“I was nervous about the weather,” she said, “We had 12.1mm overnight so it’s good underfoot – right now it looks a little bit damp, but we have got so many beginner, improver lead rein kids here that it doesn’t matter, and they’re all looking keen and happy to be here. So, very much looking forward to the day,” Anna said.
Several dozen children rode on the day.
One of them was Lucy Duder, 7, who was excited to be at her first show.
Her mother, Ranae Duder, said preparing for the event had brought back many treasured memories.
“Plaiting [the pony’s mane] was always my favourite thing, so Lucy helped me do that this morning,” she said. She had come to Aria sports alongside many other members of the Te Kūiti & Districts Pony Club.
Kate Gough of Hamilton had travelled down to Aria with her family, including husband Paul Wawatai and children Hunter Hailey, Akeira Wawatai and Lahkai Wawatai and their ponies.
“We’d seen the sports advertised so we thought it would be a good outing for the kids with the ponies, and the weather did not scare us away. The kids love a bit of rain.”
“We try and get out to the horse sports and the pony shows as much as we can. The kids really enjoy competing and having a good fun day,” Kate said.
Adult riders also put on a strong showing, with the Around the Ring hunter jumping through the day. As this event ran for longer, it saw a brief period of sunshine.
Among a smattering of food trucks was the Piopio Lions caravan, its crew hard at work fundraising as at many community events.
“It was busier than we expected it to be, given the weather,” said Piopio’s Stephen Cooper, who was frying chips and hot dogs alongside other stalwarts including John Nelson, local councillor Gavin Todd, Val Perry and Noelle Turner.
And over on the lower fields, the heading dogs didn’t mind the rain.
A King Country dog trial team successfully defended the Bayleys shield against a challenge by the Waikato team at the Aria Sports day. This trial was for intermediate and maiden competitors only, local triallist Robyn Stephens told the King Country News.
