This month we profile fleece section committee member Tim Davis and his long history with the Wānaka A&P Show.
Tim grew up on Longacre Station in the Lindis Valley, Tarras. After a career in banking that took him to Sydney, Singapore and New York, he returned to the family farm in 2012. Longacre now runs a split flock of ultrafine merinos and 16-micron high-fecundity merinos.
He has been attending the Wānaka A&P Show since childhood, continuing a strong family connection. Longacre has long entered the fleece sections, and his uncles Pete and Mark are both past presidents of the Show. Mark was heavily involved in the horse sections, while Pete can still be found on the volunteer BBQ. Tim himself enjoyed a stint behind the Aspiring Beginnings preschool barbecue when his children were young, a tradition the whole family loved being part of.
Tim describes the Fleece Section as a vibrant and highly competitive part of the Show. After a quieter period a decade ago, it was reinvigorated by Martin Patterson and is now led by Ian Bagley. It has grown into the country’s premier merino fleece competition, with entries of such quality that judges have a challenging task selecting winners. Tim sees it as a special celebration of an ancient craft that continues to thrive, with the wool room packed full of exceptional fleeces ranging from ultrafine merinos to coarser crossbreds.
His own involvement in the section evolved through his father, John (Jack), who has supported the wool section for many years. Retirement didn’t slow Jack down, and Tim says it has been rewarding to work alongside him and other dedicated locals. The team meets regularly to plan improvements, maintain high competition standards, and make the display engaging for Show visitors who may not come from rural backgrounds. In the lead-up to the Show, the group coordinates fleece testing, sorting and presentation. Judging begins on the Wednesday before the event, combining objective measurements taken earlier with expert visual assessment. Class winners are then judged against one another until the supreme champion fleece is selected.
Outside the fleece section, Tim’s favourite part of the Show is his uncle’s BBQ, followed closely by catching up with friends over a lemonade and checking out the trade sites. He fondly recalls the days when families could park around the ring to watch the horse events from the car boot – early starts aside – a tradition that faded as the Show grew.
For anyone considering entering the fleece competition or volunteering, Tim’s message is simple: new faces, especially younger volunteers, are always welcome. The team is full of great characters, there’s plenty of fun to be had, and the competition depends on the dedication of farmers who put the effort into presenting their fleeces.
Would you like to join the fleece team? Get in touch with Fleece Convenor Ian Bagley here.
Longacre Station owner and Wānaka A&P Show fleece committee member Tim Davis displays a 10.7-micron fleece from his ultra-fine merino flock. Credit: Shawn Mcavinue, ODT