Wānaka Show looks to next era with Halter partnership
After attracting the biggest crowd in its history, the Wānaka A&P Show is heading into its 90th anniversary with a new title partner and a clear message: bigger is not necessarily better.
More than 44,000 people attended the two-day Show in March, around 10 percent more than organisers had anticipated, while an independent economic impact assessment found the event generated an estimated $19.3 million in additional spending across Wānaka, the Upper Clutha and Queenstown Lakes region.
Now, New Zealand agri-tech company Halter has come on board as title partner for the milestone 2027 event, which will be held on March 12 and 13.
Upper Clutha A&P Society chair Keith Cooper said the partnership was not driven by financial necessity, but by a shared focus on farming and agricultural innovation.
“It wasn’t so much about the financial side. It was about a natural match with a partner that is very farmer focused,” Cooper said.
The Society established its AgriExchange site several years ago to provide a dedicated area for businesses showcasing on-farm technology. Since then, it has developed into what Cooper describes as an agricultural technology hub within the Showgrounds.
With Halter now offering technology relevant to hill and high country farming, Cooper said the partnership felt like “a match made in heaven”.
“They were a great fit for where we are trying to encourage that part of the Show to go.”
Halter New Zealand country director Josh Townsend said the company had long admired the Show and stepped up its involvement significantly in 2026.
“We decided we wanted to have a real presence there and it was massively successful for us,” Townsend said.
“We have a pretty big customer base in the region and, more broadly, across the South Island. When the opportunity came up to become the naming rights partner and really get behind it, we jumped at it.”
Townsend said Wānaka’s strong farming audience made the partnership a natural fit.
“It reinforces that it is very much a farm-focused Show. It’s also an opportunity for a large portion of lower South Island farmers to get out, connect and catch up with their peers.”
Halter will have a larger site at the 2027 Show, with a focus on giving farmers and customers somewhere to connect with the team, along with what Townsend hinted would be some “exciting announcements”.
For Cooper, maintaining the Show’s agricultural identity is increasingly important as its audience grows.
The Society has been deliberately prioritising rurally connected exhibitors and strengthening the traditional A&P component of the event, while also using the Show to connect urban visitors with farming.
A new farm production demonstration planned for 2027 will include activities such as sheep shearing, wool spinning, cow milking, cheese making and meat boning.
“It’s so important to us to demonstrate where people’s food and clothing come from,” Cooper said.
“We’re showcasing what farmers do, helping expose farmers to new technology, and demonstrating to urban visitors what happens on farm and where their food comes from.”
Cooper said the Show’s continued success came from constantly evolving its offering, including introducing new attractions and improving how visitors move through the grounds.
But its location remains an undeniable advantage.
“We’re in the high country next to a lake, and I think that’s the bit that can never be forgotten.”
Despite this year’s record crowd, Cooper said organisers were not chasing another attendance record in 2027.
The Show is already close to capacity for exhibitors and some livestock sections, while adding too many more visitors could affect the experience.
“We’re not setting out to grow the Show every year,” he said.
“We’re setting out to improve it, enhance it and offer something different.”
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