The Wrangler's birthday bash
It's the Wrangler Limited’s 30th birthday and to celebrate the milestone a prototype of the E Series Wrangler - a new electricpowered product range - is being unveiled at the Fieldays.
He says with 1200 exhibitors locked in, there are still a few sites available. The four-day event kicks off on Wednesday, June 11. Over 100,000 people are expected to attend.
Lindroos, who took over as NZ Fieldays Society chief executive on April 7, told Dairy News that he was feeling "very positive".
"Everything is under control: the team is well planned - we are in a good space and really looking forward to delivering."
He says that the Fieldays at Mystery Creek is the only show in town in June. "Wherever you are in New Zealand and wherever you get your news from, you have to be here."
The Society, which owns and runs the event, has embraced the ultimate "mullet strategy" - business in the front, party in the back - to bring together innovation, education and globalisation to this year's event.
Lindroos says Fieldays has always been about combining the cutting-edge agricultural technology, networking, and insightful discussions, all while celebrating the uniqueness of the rural sector and bringing town and country together.
New 'business in the front' initiatives include Fieldays Tent Talks in association with the University of Waikato, Fieldays Drone Zone, and the Fieldays Sector Spotlight - 'It's Wool'. The new initiatives join returning Fieldays Hubs, the Rural Advocacy Hub, Forestry Hub, Careers & Education Hub, Innovation Hub and the Health & Wellbeing Hub.
'Party in the back' initiatives include the Fieldays Family Fun Zone in the Heritage Village and Super Saturday - a campaign with exhibitors to deliver unbeatable prices and exclusive Fieldays-only offers.
The 50th anniversary of Fieldays Tractor Pull in association with PTS Logistics will also bring excitement to punters.
Lindroos says entries are now open, and early indications suggest that we're gearing up for another busy event with strong turnout from both drivers and spectators.
When Dairy News visited the Mystery Creek site two weeks ago, the 'packing in' part of the event was well underway, with buildings and marquees under construction.
Lindroos explains that while the Fieldays is run over four days, getting the site ready for the event and then dismantling structures after the event is a three-month process.
The 'packing in' covers six weeks prior to the event and is well staged and coordinated. Builders turn up first to construct sites, followed by tradies and exhibitor staff to set up the sites for visitors. After the event, the 'packing out' takes about a month to clear the venue.
Tickets can be purchased online via the Fieldays website, or at the gate during the event. Every ticket purchased is a chance to be in to win the ultimate Fieldays gate prize of a $50,000 JAC T9 Ute and $10,000 of Stoney Creek gear. Visitors can triple their chances to win during the event by visiting the JAC site at F90 and Stoney Creek at site F55.
Tickets on sale also include the Fieldays VIP Business Plus in association with KPMG; a VIP ticket including access to an all-inclusive lounge developed to enhance the experience of business and rural leaders at the event.
Global Reach
The National Fieldays is more than just an agribusiness show; globalisation is also one of its key aims.
The four-day event also attracts thousands of trade visitors, from both NZ and overseas, who meet with primary industries exporters and government and trade officials to do deals.
Fieldays chief executive Richard Lindroos says the first three days of the event is packed with meetings between NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), trade ministers and ambassadors.
While there is a domestic focus at the Fieldays, the Society also focuses offshore, with the aim of bringing large delegations to the event.
Lindroos says during his first five weeks in the role, he has hosted a Chinese delegation looking to expand its footprint in 2026.
"We have six exhibitors from China this year. While that's not a big number, we expect that number to grow in 2026," he says.
"We are also planning for a large Indian delegation next year on the back of the free trade negotiations between NZ and India."
With NZTE, the Society is also looking at attracting delegations from Brazil, Argentina and Chile next year.
In his new role, Lindroos also aims to future proof the organisation, making it more financially resilient. This includes upgrading its assets and attracting more events to the Mystery Creek site.
He points out that with the Fieldays taking up three months of the year, the event centre is open for business for the remaining nine months.
"We have nine months to bring world class events. We can't compete with ratepayer-backed councils, but we can push our competitive advantages - our scale, our location and we are greenfield site not restricted by stadia."
