West Otago A&P Show President Richard “Dicko” Reddit

We’re joined by West Otago A&P Show President Richard “Dicko” Reddit ahead of the 112th show this Saturday at the Tapanui Showgrounds! Dicko gives us the inside scoop on what makes this iconic event a community cornerstone, the exciting new carnival rides, standout farming competitions, and the entertainment lineup — from music and magic to the famous lolly scramble. If you love rural life, family fun, and a great day out, this is one show you don’t want to miss!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now we're officially kicking off summer Mother Nature. Are you
listening in style this weekend with the one hundred and
twelve West of taga A and P Show. It is
at the Topanoi Showgrounds and it's going to be an
epic celebration of rural life, family fun and agriculture excellence.
This year promises to be bigger and better than ever.
So joining us now is show president Richard Dicko Reddit

(00:23):
to give us the inside scoop.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good morning, morning to good to be here.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Thank you for getting up and getting out of bed
nice and early and making your way into the Hokanui studio.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Oh no, that's no worries.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
One hundred and twelve years is an incredible legacy. We
we're just talking off here, something we've both been going
to since we were knee high to a grasshopper. But
it is just so special for the wider community. Can
you sum up why it is such a cornerstone event
for the community.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
Oh, I think it's just a family event for everyone.
It's got things for everything, children, adults, Yeah, just a
show of rural life really. So it's well supported by
our community as sponsors, our exhibitors, so Yeah, it's great
to be a part of.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
Let's riddle off some of those changes I've heard. There's
new carnival rides, some exciting additions as well for families
and farmers.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yeah, Scotty Chick's been working over time to get them,
get the kids a lot of stuff to do. So yeah,
we've got like flying Zebras, helicopter rides, King Kong slides.
There's the paintball which is always like, the kids just
love that, and the big kids, yeah, the big kids
love that. Yeah, and the face painting, which is yeah,
everyone loves that.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
So oh, there's going to be something for everyone, like
from the we tights all the way through to those
that have got the right idea to get into the
booth as well flying Zebras or now I'm intrigued by this.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, I'm not too sure about this. I think Scotty
might have made this up. You never know, but stitch up.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
Yeah, but it does mean you've got to come along
and get amongst it to check it out.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, yeah, come along, kids will be a great day out.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
So absolutely. Now, along with all of that family fun,
it is also about celebrating rule excellence. Some awesome competitions
and displays on the lineup for this year show as well.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Yeah, we've got your standards, like what the show is about,
your sheep, your beef, your equestrians are the horses. That's
well supported by them, a lot of them there, so
the sharing so and there's the speed here later on
outside front of the booth. So that's always a good event.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Is that do you do the Is it like a
wood chopper versus.

Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yeah, yeah, so yeah, then we have a bit of
a competition between the wood choppers and the shearers, so
that yeah, that's always a good, good one as well.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
So have you ever had any sharers want to have
a go at the wood chopping and vice versa?

Speaker 2 (02:34):
El Dale and his brother they had a crack on it.

Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah. Yeah, they probably should just stay on the hand piece,
but hey, your.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
Words, not mine, go Dale'll go now. Also there is
the dog Trials which always calls in you know, a
record crowd of numbers.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeah, and we've got the South Island Final there this year.
So it's a three day event for the dog Trials,
So they're starting Thursday with the finals on Saturday. So no,
they'll be a good yeah, good good An exhibition of
a dog for a sheep.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
So oh and if you you know, live in town
or have never seen a dog trial competition, this is
literally the best of the best in the South. So
it's a good opportunity to go and watch and see
what that's all about.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
But it's not just about stock and trade.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
There is also music, magic and of course a firm
favor a big lollly scramble as well.

Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, the kids love the lily scramble. And we're just
trying to work on a couple of Hoglanders have all
made the All Blacks or the All Back development and
in the Heffen and Girls away, so we're trying to
get someone there. Yeah, they're a bit busy in their lives,
so no, we're trying to get a couple of Islanders
and that there. So, yeah, the kids will love seeing
them as well.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
Oh they certainly will. As president.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
Is there a moment or a tradition that you never
miss at the show.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
Or probably the grand Braid when you see the winners
of everyone in their division and how stoked they are
to have turned up displayed what they've had there and
one and yeah, no, so that's always great.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
So and I hear this year, you've really lowered the
standard for someone who's going to be opening the show
and being in the grand parade.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
I know we've got you. Chise'll be great. You'll be great. No,
so you've got a big speech written to I don't
know I've written it's the right word for that.

Speaker 1 (04:15):
It might be fairly off the cuff, but now the
Chinnick family and a West Targo amp show go pretty
firmly hand in hand, and they have for a number
of years. So it's actually a real honor and a
privilege to be doing that. But also I will still
be one hundred percent taking the pass out of all
of my family and friends.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Oh, Roger.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
Not here, or for anyone listening though, who has keen
to come along and witness that, or perhaps all of
the other stuff that is on offer. Tickets, Parking, where
do we go to get all that info?

Speaker 3 (04:46):
Yeah, on our Facebook page you can find it there.
Kicks off at ten o'clock, so bring the family along. Yeah. Parking,
just how Taper knows where the showgrounds are. If you don't,
just look where all the cars are parking.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
The panic there'll be the place.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
He's right, he is absolutely on the money. Speaking of money,
do you know how much show Ticke gets hard? This year?
You didn't?

Speaker 2 (05:06):
Well, do you know what you do?

Speaker 1 (05:09):
You go and you check out the WIST Target Amp
Show website, Facebook, or you can text me the keyword
show and your name first and third of five zero
zero nine for your chance to win. I've got some
passes to give away. He's the president, not the treasurestler.
That's absolutely allowed. This weekend kicking off at ten, See
you at the WIST Target Amp Show.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
Okay, we'll see you there. Geers think