4WDing, shearing, sheep chasing and much more!

 The venue is Dargaville on the picturesque Wairoa River, upstream from the mighty Kaipara Harbour. It’s a two-three hour drive from Auckland, and a mere 40 minutes from Whangarei. 

Exhibitors and organisers have worked overtime on more new events than ever, says the field days president Lew Duggan. And as usual the field days will be a mix of new and old events.

Northland Toyota is building a 4WD track next to its site, to allow visitors to power a Toyota 4WD in real-world conditions. Spokesman Nigel Gilmour says people trying out a Toyota Hilux, Land Cruiser or Rav4 on the 4WD course should expect to be put through their paces. 

“It’s got some axle twisters in there; there’s water, hills and sidings. Drivers will experience challenging approach and departure angles.”

Gilmour says the company wants to show off the Toyota Hilux’s role as a ‘workhorse’. The track will let visitors try out the truck in conditions they’re likely to experience any working day.

“Our aim is to get people into vehicles to show them what sort of performance they’re capable of in tough conditions. We have always made sure the Hilux stayed true to its origins, able to do what it needs to do when the work demands.”

Meanwhile, hunters and target shooters can show off their sharpshooting skills at a digital, clay bird shooting event.

Friday and Saturday will be jam-packed with activities including the Sheep ‘n’ Show event, a combination of sheep racing, sheep shearing and more.

Sheep and Show presents a ‘grand national sheeplechase’ with commentary, pre-race build-up and an offer of prizes for picking the winning sheep. There will also be 45-minute shearing shows.

On other sites, competitions include lawnmower races, dog trials, a tractor pull and logger sports. 
“The events committee have outdone themselves this year,” says Duggan.  “Anybody travelling to Dargaville on February 26-28 will miss out big-time if they don’t attend the Northland Field Days.”