Hurunui Flock Tours 2025
The Flock Tours are held each March as an annual celebration of excellence in sheep farming and encompasses the four Hurunui A&P Show Districts – Amberley, Amuri, Cheviot, and Hawarden. The aim is to encourage healthy rivalry at a local level and highlight innovation and best practice as well as provide education and inspiration. Importantly, it is a catalyst to connect the Hurunui sheep farming community with an invitation to all generations to enter and/or to follow along on each of the Flock Tour days.
2025 Judging Schedules & Results
Below are the Judging Schedules and results as they become available. Feel free to download if you wish to follow a Tour.
How it runs
A&P District Days - Each of the A&P Associations appoint two convenors and run their individual District Days where all farmers are encouraged to enter and exhibit their hogget and/or two-tooth flocks on-farm. Two judges, appointed from outside of the A&P District boundary, listen to the exhibitors outline their production goals then mark the flock/s on comprehensive criteria.
At the end of the day, everyone convenes at the prize-giving venue where the judges are given time to collate and discuss their individual scores and notes to determine the winners of each class. They will also give a brief summary of their findings during prize-giving. Exhibitors and spectators are warmly invited to attend the judging circuit and prize-giving.
Hurunui District Champion of Champions Day - The winners of each class from each District Day then go through to compete in the Champion of Champions. This follows the same format with exhibitors flocks being judged by two judges who are appointed from outside of the Hurunui District boundary.
Throughout the day discussion is important to allow for exchange of knowledge. The farmer must be ready to share verbally their production goals with all who are present at each farm, and the judges their findings. Spectators are encouraged to ask questions.
Everyone then convenes at the prize-giving venue where the judges are given time to collate and discuss their scores. Champion flocks are determined and awarded:
- Individual – Hoggets – (must be own breed)
- Individual - Two-Tooths
- Overall A&P Winner for the District – The A&P District whose exhibitors had the the highest points when combined.
How to enter
Step 1 - Download and read the relevant Production Form below so you are aware of the Conditions of Entry.
Step 2 - Contact one of your local convenors to enter. Entries close no later than two days before the Flock Tour judging date for your area.
Step 3 - Complete the Production Form and have it available to give to the convenor when they arrive on-farm with the judges the day of the Flock Tour.
Step 4 - Be prepared to give a verbal outline to the judges and spectators explaining your production goals by talking about your farm, what your breeding objectives are, where you are at with your programme, and what you trying to change.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your local convenor. Their details are on the Production Form which is available to download below.
History
The annual and prestigious NZ Ewe Hogget Competition (run by NZ Sheep Breeders Assn) was in progress from 1995 and was open to any farmer within New Zealand to enter.
As Hurunui had no representation, Graeme Rouse, (North Canterbury Vets Sales Rep.) foundered the Hurunui Flock Competitions – starting with Amberley A&P District, then Hawarden and Amuri, and finally Cheviot. The rules/guidelines used were based on those of the national competition.
The national competition folded in 2020 as the NZ Sheep Breeders Assn. withdrew and other sponsors hesitated, also not helped by Covid. Hurunui Flock Comps continued.
In 2016, Champion of Champions was initiated in the Hurunui Flock Competition by North Canterbury Veterinary Clinics.
At a meeting of the A&P Show convenors in 2024, there was a united decision to rename the Flock Competition to Flock Tours in order to better reflect the opportunity presented by this unique annual event. The aim being to encourage more farmers to enter and more farmers to follow the days as spectators.
While it remains a competition, the real essence is to provide a valuable opportunity for farmers to exhibit their flocks on-farm and to talk to the judges and spectators about their production goals and how they are achieving them. Thus creating an opportunity for sharing and learning to elevate the expertise of sheep farming in the District.
They are great days for exhibitors and followers to get out on farms in the District to learn about best practices and to be inspired as there are many 'nuggets of gold' to be mined along the way.
Follow the Hurunui Flock Tours on Facebook - click here.
Media Links:
2023 Hurunui Flock Comp - Rural News
2016 National Ewe Hogget Comp - Stuff
