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National

Agrodome farm tour and sheep show reopens

The Agrodome in Rotorua has reopened today after an 18-month closure due to Covid 19 sweeping the country.

The Ngāi Tahu owners have been waiting for borders to open before welcoming manuhiri back to the internationally known sheep show and farm tour.

Agrodome’s Shane Harford says the Agrodome is world-famous.

“People love to see the animals and they love to interact with them, do the farm tour, feed the animals, see the sheep show and get a chance to milk a cow. They enjoy it and come back time and time again.”

The Agrodome went into hibernation 18 months ago due to Covid 19, and 50 staff were laid off. That was huge for Shane, losing friends and family.

Teaching Māori-based things

During hibernation, the main activity was animal welfare, making sure they were taken care of and looked after. “Secondly, it was building, maintenance and making sure the place looked tip-top and sharp until we opened,” Harford says.

“It is an awesome feeling to get the Agrodome open and running again, to see all the whanau, all of New Zealand coming down and seeing what we love doing, demonstrating and showing what Agrodome can produce,” he says.

Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi supports the Agrodome reopening as he feels particularly sorry for businesses that have had to close down in the Bay of Plenty. “Now I am elated with the reopening,” he says.

In 2012 Ngāi Tahu Holdings bought the Agrodome from the founding Bowen and Harford families. Shane Harford carries on his grandparent's legacy today.

“Ngāi Tahu has been a great owner for Agrodome during hibernation helping to keep the business running. Ngāi Tahu is very focused on teaching New Zealand Māori-based things. It is great they are trying to bring the culture to the businesses all through the tourism aspect,” Harford says.

No unvaccinated

Te-Aumihi Hohepa from Rotorua visited the Agrodome with her whanau today.

“The best thing is meeting and greeting the animals,” she says.

Nopera Hohepa says the Agrodome is a superb place for visitors. It is close to Christmas and making friends with the animals is great”.

And Tuhia Hohepa says, “I hope this is still around for my children's children”.

Today the  Agrodome is for the first time having to turn away customers who are unvaccinated and this isn’t helping business though it is keeping others safe.

Following the rules of the new traffic light system has upset Harford as the Agrodome has never before, in 5o years, had to turn people away.

“It breaks my heart really that we all have to get vaccinated to try and get back to the most ordinary life we can.”