A cold, wet and windy weather forecast has cancelled the Methven Rodeo.

The event is one of the first in the New Zealand rodeo season and brings around 5000 visitors into town each year.

Methven rodeo club secretary Rosa Dekker said it was a really hard call to make.

“It’s a pretty strange feeling. Apart from Covid, it's the first time we’ve cancelled a rodeo in [a while].”

This event would have marked the 54th Methven rodeo.

“A lot of work’s gone into it, but it’s an absolute right call.”

“With that amount of rain on our arena and in our yards, it's just unsafe for people and animals.”

Finding another date within the season to host would be difficult, Dekker said, and Methven had had their fill of cowboys and cowgirls when hosting the 2023 finals in March.

At least one scam event has popped up, offering tickets and claiming that the rodeo has been postponed.

The club stresses that the rodeo is cancelled, and that the next one is set for labour weekend Sunday in 2025.

Canterbury Weather Updates weather analyst Russell Voice said a large complex low will bring significant rain, and potentially snow, across Canterbury.

Strong to gale force winds from the northwest are expected across high country areas in the region.

Despite the forecast, the long-anticipated Methven market will open this Sunday.

The market’s debut event has been in the works for months, organiser Jennifer Lalor said.

“A lot of stallholders have put in a massive effort to be here this weekend.

“I've got one coming from Blenheim, one from Amberley, others from Christchurch.”

Stalls ranging from sweet treats to woodwork and jewellery will set up at a new location - 15 Hobbs road, near the local golf course.

“There’s a huge tennis court, a big driveway, and hard ground for the trucks, so that’s where we’re bringing it to.”

“The stallholders are super wrapped, I had a very late night answering lots of questions.”

For rodeo-goers, there’s light at the end of the tunnel; the Winchester club has been able to postpone their event to the 3rd of November.

They were slated to host this Saturday, but stood with the Methven crew in saying the weather wasn’t safe for riders, said Winchester club president Grant Kelynack.

“With the bad weather coming, we’ve put it off, it's just for the safety of the cowboys and cowgirls.”

He said the new dates would mean some competitors couldn’t attend, and entries have been reopened.

“We’ll just continue on as normal otherwise.”

The Rakaia Lions Family Fireworks has also been postponed to November 7th.

Still craving some outdoor entertainment this weekend? Try tanks and soldiers on a muddied battlefield.

Hundreds of military reenactors from across the country will travel to the Rangitata aerodrome for the “military revival” - a weekend spent reenacting wars of the past.

Organiser Don Pelvin said the weather was no deterrent.

“The war didn’t stop because of some rain, so neither will we.”

Minus real weapons and death, it’ll be as real as it gets - trenches dug in paddocks, a functional army kitchen, and the reenactors donning real old uniforms.

The Geraldine military museum has even dusted off their tanks and trucks to use.

It costs $10 per person to watch the action, and all funds are donated to the Cure Kids foundation.

By Anisha Satya