Royal Easter Show

Bringing town and country together for more than 160 years, there’s fun for whole family at this year’s Royal Easter Show.

New this year, the Incredible International Magic Show and New Zealand’s very own musical supergroup for kids the Funky Monkeys feature on the main stage, and in the Big Top, there’s the ZM Circus Extreme.

In the outdoor arena, cowboys shoot it out in the Wild West Show and for the first time in the world massive monster machines take on a matador in the AB Equipment Bullfight MecaNZa.

Also in the arena, New Zealand’s Got Talent finalist Chelsea shows off the impressive talents of her star dogs and for something more extreme, there’s the Brazilian danger dodgers in the Wheel of Death.

New interactive activities at ASB FarmZone give kids the chance to get up close to farm animals and learn how to milk a cow and make butter. While the A&P show is back with calf club and pet lamb sections for kids and befitting of a royal event, the Queen’s Cow on show.

World champion female lumberjack Shana Martin from the United States is set to cause a stir as she battles it out with the blokes from Kiwi Loggersports in an all-new show. Watch as world champion speed climbers Stirling Hart and Scott Thompson from Canada show just how fast a human can fly up and down a 60 foot pole.

An expanded equestrian schedule at neighbouring Alexandra Park involves breeds ranging from Arabian to Shetland Ponies to Miniature Horses, with an international showmanship event involving New Zealand, Australian and South African competitors on Easter Monday.

The recently completed redevelopment of the ASB Showgrounds means visitors to the show will be some of the first to enjoy the new spacious mainstreet and completed buildings and facilities. Moving the equestrian events to neighbouring Alexandra Park also means the outdoor arena and grandstand are better utilised with an ever changing schedule of outdoor shows, shearing and sheep-dog trials.

Enduring favourites the Royal Easter Shears competition and Royal Easter Cat Show are back, while the ever-popular carnival and street entertainers provide constantly changing entertainment well into the evening. New Zealand’s largest art competition the Royal Easter Show Art Show is also back with hundreds of artworks on show and for sale.

The Royal Easter Show is on from Thursday 9 to Monday 13 April 2009 at the ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane, Auckland. Entry to all shows and attractions, excluding the carnival rides, included in the show entry price at no extra cost.

For more information go to www.royaleastershow.co.nz or phone (09) 638 9969.