Little altered since it was constructed in 1923, the Feilding Sheep Pavilion and Rostrum, at Manfeild Park has been an important centre for sheep stock sales in the Manawatu region for the past eighty years. The town of Feilding was established in 1874 as part of a special settlement scheme created in 1867 and presided over by the Duke of Manchester, for whom the land purchased for the scheme was named after. The first English immigrants arrived in 1874 and, following extensive bush clearance, established dairy and sheep farms. In 1902 the Feilding Industrial, Agricultural and Pastoral Association (I, A& P Association) was established and from 1906 held its first ram fairs in the days following the annual show. In the early 1920s it was decided to build a permanent pavilion and rostrum for sheep displays. The Pavilion was built by local builder Jack Edwards of Wilkinson Construction, and was completed in 1923. In the following year permanent sheep pens were added to the rostrum for ease of penning and showing sheep. These were eventually covered. The completed pavilion was named the Manchester Jubilee Pavilion to mark the 50 years since the founding of the town. Since then, the only alteration has been the addition of two skylights in 1937. For the past eighty years, stud and commercial sheep of all breeds and from all parts of New Zealand have been sold from the pavilion. Today ram fairs at the Feilding Sales Rostrum are a major calendar event for farmers in the Manawatu and elsewhere. The facility continues to be used not only for its original purpose of selling sheep, but the association also uses the Pavilion for sheep and fleece displays, Young Farmer of the Year contests, judging seminars and stock breeding meetings.
Location
List Entry Information
Overview
Detailed List Entry
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
7515
Date Entered
6th June 2003
Date of Effect
6th June 2003
City/District Council
Manawatū District
Region
Horizons (Manawatū-Whanganui) Region
Legal description
Pt Lot 14 DP 1076
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