THE Great New Zealand Muster, which once drew thousands to Te Kūiti, has been cancelled according to an announcement by Waitomo District Council today. FILE PHOTO
WAITOMO District Council has announced its decision to no longer hold ‘The Great New Zealand Muster.’
Mayor John Robertson said the weight of the decision came down to a number of factors including the cancellation of the ‘running of the sheep’ event last year.
“It is a real shame, but times have changed and sometimes we just need to make a call and roll with the punches.”
It will be the end of an era for the event, which has been an annual fixture in some form for more than 20 years.
WDC said it has valued working alongside the shearing committee and will continue to do so by supporting the New Zealand Shearing Championships, which will be held at the Les Munro Centre from 30 March to 1 April 2023.
WDC will be looking for a new signature event that can be planned thoroughly for future years, and which captures the identity and culture of Te Kūiti and the Waitomo District, it said.
