‘There is no bad day at a Swap Meet’, was the motto of the volunteers organising the Hororata Mechanical Swap Meet on Saturday 23rd September. “In term spring fashion, the forecast was variable and volatile as we neared Saturday, with 10 – 20cm of snow forecast at one point,” said Hororata Community Trust’s Cindy Driscoll.

“We know coming to the Hororata Mechanical Swap Meet is a pilgrimage for people, some setting of 2 -3 days before from as far away as Wellington and Te Anau, so with the rural Kiwi attitude we forged ahead and sent out as many positive vibes to the weather gods as possible!”

“Site holders and keen buyers started showing up on Friday just as the heavens opened. Everyone turned up with a smile, trailers ladened with mechanical treasures. At this point, we knew no matter the weather, we had to make this event happen! We are lucky at the Hororata Domain as we could utilise the indoor barn and covered stalls for those who set up on Friday.”

Hororata saw 50ml of rain from 11am Friday 22nd through to 3am 23rd September Saturday. “When I left the Hororata Domain at 8pm Friday night, there was surface water everywhere; however, we know after 12 years of running events here, the water drains quickly. With the rain stopping at 3 a.m., the Domain was clear of surface water by the time we arrived the next morning at 6am.

We opened the gates and welcomed 1000 buyers who got to browse 75 sellers’ sites. A little smaller than last year, but considering the weather forecast, we are stoked with the numbers.”

The Hororata Mechanical Swap Meet was started by John Foster and Dave Pomare started the Hororata Mechanical Swap Meet in 2010 and ran until 2020, when they handed over the reins to the Hororata Community Trust. “John and Dave remain at the heart of the event, but now they can enjoy it without any admin!

The Trust is committed to staying true to their vision of this being a Mechanical Swap Meet with no bric a brac but equally, we can now use the event to benefit more of the community.”

This event benefited six community groups; Glentunnel Resident Committee, Hororata Historical Society, Glentunnel Primary School, Hororata Primary School, Rural Women Darfield Division and the Hororata Community Trust.

“As always, it takes passionate volunteers to make these great Hororata events happen; we are grateful for their time and energy,” concluded Cindy.

The Hororata Mechanical Swap Meet will return on Saturday, 21st September 2024. Visit www.hororata.org.nz for details.