Today we attended the A&P Spring show at the Gisborne Showgrounds (basically, it's their county fair). We were entertained by rows of tents with people selling everything from backyard grills, to t-shirts, to farming implements to your basic shark cages for your own personal enjoyment. There was also a vast array of creaky, shaky rides accompanied by the wonderful aroma of hot dogs and other greasy foods.
Since we're not huge hot dog fans we chose a much healthier lunch of doughnuts and Sprite...Yummy! Kim & Brad did split a steak and onion sandwich, but the boys didn't seem too interested in it with steaming hot doughnuts staring them in the face.
The sugar seems to be kicking in...
The highlight of the day was definitely the sheep shearing. There were four shearers in each heat and they would be timed as they sheared either two or three sheep. The shearers would get the sheep out of the gates, and as soon as the sheep were sheared they were booted out the chute (underneath the red signs in the picture below). All the while, the announcers were giving the play-by-play of what was happening and loud, thumping, bass music was blaring in the background. It was quite thrilling!
As soon as the wool was off, the women standing in front of the platform would grab the wool, spread it out on the table, clean off all of the edges and roll it up to be taken out back where it was put through a machine that, for lack of a better word, baled the wool into large bales and packed it to be shipped. It was quite an experience
Harrison takes a peak at some of the sheep...
...and they stare right back.
This pony was more than happy to smile for the camera (he knew he wasn't going to be pinned down and sheared).
Brad & the boys were really excited to watch some of the motorcycle acrobatics (isn't that what they call it at the X-Games?!)
And what would a trip to the fair be without a lollipop the size of a bar of soap...Ahhh, sugar on a stick, Delicious!!!
Before we left, Brad & Harrison decided to check out the rides, and decided the burlap bag slide seemed to be the safest. They went down three times and had a great time.
After a fun day, we headed home, washed the layers of sugar off our hands and faces and took nice, long naps...
