increase font size
Peter Gilbert.
Dairy farmer Peter Gilbert is the new president of the Canterbury A&P Association for 2017. He was elected at the annual meeting, replacing Warrick James.
Gilbert is looking forward to his presidential year after a long association with Canterbury A&P.
“I’ve been on the Canterbury A&P committee since 2002 and chair of the dairy section since 2007. Now it’s my turn to take the top job and it’s an honour to follow in the footsteps of many great presidents.
“I love showing and I’m looking forward to adding to the history of the association and doing my bit for those who share my passion.”
Raised on a dairy farm in Ellesmere, Gilbert married schoolteacher Anne in the 1980s and they bought a 180ha dairy farm in Winchmore. Last year they bought an additional dairy farm -- 176ha in Rakaia.
Their three sons work in the dairy industry: Michael runs the new block at Rakaia, Nick works the Winchmore farm and Luke works for Semex New Zealand.
Gilbert first began showing calves at primary school and has been showing Holstein Friesian cattle at Canterbury, Ellesmere and Ashburton A&P shows for nearly 40 years.
He is proud his three sons have inherited his passion for dairying and showing: all three are senior judges for at least two different breed societies.
“It means a lot to have had my sons so heavily involved in the show with me over the years. Obviously youth are the future of events like ours and it’s heartening to see so many great young people get stuck in at the Canterbury A&P Show, especially in the cattle section.”
Overseeing the family business and his presidential duties will make for a busy year for Gilbert; he has board meetings, sub-committee meetings, general committee meetings, association events and working bees over the next 12 months.
Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show president Brent Chamberlain says a big development for this year is the Wool Zone, first introduced two years ago as a showplace for everything produced from wool, but now greatly enlarged with its own Wool Marquee and more than 30 trade sites.
The new chair of the Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) board, Sir David Carter, is pleading for public support for this year's Christchurch Show.
Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association (CAPA) have signed an agreement which will open more of Canterbury Agricultural Park for public use while helping to provide long-term certainty for the A&P Show.
The iconic Canterbury A&P Show – known as the New Zealand Agricultural Show – will not go ahead this year.
Mycoplasma bovis has cast its shadow over the New Zealand Agricultural Show.
Fonterra Edendale has been recognised with the Mars Dairy Supplier Quality Award for the top performing supplier sites in the global food company's dairy supply chain.
Sheep milk processor Maui Milk has achieved grass-fed certification of milk supply against the AsureQuality Grass-Fed Scheme.
OPINION: What goes up must come down. So, global dairy prices retreating from lofty heights in recent months wouldn’t come as a surprise to many farmers.
Fonterra directors and councillors are in for a pay rise next month.
Federated Farmers says it is cautiously welcoming signals from the Government that a major shake-up of local government is on its way.
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.
OPINION: Dipping global dairy prices have already resulted in Irish farmers facing a price cut from processors.
OPINION: Are the heydays of soaring global demand for butter over?
