The city is back mingling with the country at New Zealand's Royal A&P Show in Canterbury. 

Thousands are set to descend on the Agricultural Park over the next three days. 

This year’s event has re-gained its royal status for the first time since 2010. 

Canterbury A&P Association chair Sir David Carter told John MacDonald that the Royal Agricultural Society approached them after they saw them put on last year’s show, and asked if they were prepared to run under the Royal Show status. 

They agreed, he says, because it gives prestige to the show, and means livestock people are prepared to enter more animals and travel further to attend. 

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