Ravensdown backs Canterbury A&P Show’s return to its rural roots

The Canterbury A&P Show’s return to its traditional Wednesday-to-Friday format has gained a significant vote of confidence, with farmer-owned co-operative Ravensdown signing on as naming-rights sponsor for the next two years.

Now known as the Ravensdown Canterbury A&P Show, the partnership comes as the Canterbury A&P Association continues to strengthen the event’s financial position and sharpen its focus on agriculture, farmers and the rural businesses that have long been at the heart of the Show.

Ravensdown chief executive Garry Diack said the partnership came about through discussions with Canterbury A&P Association chairman Sir David Carter, as the Association worked to secure the Show’s long-term future.

For Ravensdown, he said, the timing and fit made sense.

The co-operative has strong South Island roots and will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, meaning the second year of the sponsorship will coincide with that milestone.

“The opportunity to celebrate farming in New Zealand, through a company with strong South Island roots, at the Canterbury Show, and to use that sponsorship to help rejuvenate the economic base of what I think is one of our iconic agricultural events, just came together really well,” Diack said.

He said Sir David’s leadership and determination to put the Show back on a stable footing had also given Ravensdown confidence in its direction.

“I like the fact that he has come in with as much passion as he has acumen, with the aim of putting the Show back on a stable footing for the long term.”

Diack said Ravensdown strongly supported the renewed emphasis on agriculture.

“I also think getting back to a farmer-centric, or more broadly, agriculture-centric Show is really important.

“We need to showcase to our urban friends, relatives and colleagues the success of agriculture in the South Island, and this is a way to do that.”

He said the Show also played an important role in bringing together farmers, rural businesses and different parts of the primary sector.

Ravensdown had been doing its own work around the concept of belonging, he said, and the connection between belonging, resilience and wellbeing.

“The Show is a place where farmers can demonstrate that sense of belonging: this is what I’ve got on show, and this is the contribution I make.

“The businesses that support them, the companies they work with and the co-operatives they invest in all come together at events like this.

“We get a strong sense that we belong to something significant.”

For Diack, the Canterbury A&P Show remains one of the few places where the breadth of the rural sector can come together.

“It brings rural people together; it brings different sectors together, from dairy to sheep and beef.

“It’s almost the town square of our existence.”

Ravensdown’s backing comes at an important stage for the Show, with the Association continuing its work to restore long-term financial resilience.

Sir David Carter said the naming-rights partnership would help strengthen that position.

“We’re still battling our way out of what we inherited two years ago,” he said.

“We’re determined to restore financial sustainability and resilience to the Canterbury A&P Association, and we’re making progress, but we’re not yet out of the woods.”

The financial risks associated with staging a major outdoor event remained considerable, he said.

“If you have a Show and get really bad weather, you can run at a significant loss. You need money in the bank for a rainy day, literally.”

The 2026 Show will also mark a return to the traditional Wednesday, Thursday and Friday format following feedback from members and major agricultural exhibitors.

Carter said the Saturday format had not worked as well for some of the larger rural exhibitors.

“What we found from talking to our members, and particularly the large agricultural exhibitors, was that they didn’t like the Saturday.

“It meant a lot of extra staff time.”

The previous format had been introduced while the Association was working with external event operators.

Carter said that arrangement had provided valuable support at the time, but returning to the traditional three-day weekday format reflected what the rural sector wanted from the Show.

“It’s just popular demand, and we’re still trying to encourage those larger anchor exhibitors back.

“We’re getting some of them back. We want them all back.

“I think the fact we’ve changed our format back to the traditional Wednesday, Thursday, Friday will continue to build that sort of support.”

The Association has also brought event management back in-house after using external event-management expertise for the 2024 and 2025 Shows.

It is now working with experienced event manager Jeff Bone, who has previously worked with the Canterbury A&P Association and knows the Show well.

Sir David described the move as another important turning point.

“We’ve got the event-management side now inside the tent rather than being contracted.”

He said rebuilding the Show would take time, but there was growing confidence in the direction it was heading.

“We’re getting back to what it was.

“It’s going to take us time, and these little steps we make, and the fact Ravensdown has come on board, shows they’ve got confidence that we’re making good progress.”

Diack said Ravensdown hoped its involvement could also encourage other major rural businesses to return, helping strengthen the Show as a gathering place for the wider agricultural sector.

“If we can help get the event back to its iconic status as a place where the industry meets, then I think the big players will want to come back and meet there as well.”

With its traditional format restored, major rural businesses returning and a new naming-rights partner on board, the 163rd Ravensdown Canterbury A&P Show is building momentum towards November.

For Carter, the Show remains an integral part of Canterbury’s rural identity and one that is worth fighting for.

“You can’t have Show Week in Canterbury without the Show.”

The Ravensdown Canterbury A&P Show will be held at Canterbury Agricultural Park from November 11 to 13.