Friday, 08 March 2019 14:37

Gearing up for another success

Written by 
Central Districts Field Days sales manager Cheryl Riddell. Central Districts Field Days sales manager Cheryl Riddell.

Fondly known as ‘the best day off the farm all year’, Central Districts Field Days is gearing up for its 26th event.

Now the largest regional field days in New Zealand, its roots stretch back to 1993 when Don Eade started it as an annual event.

Many of its features remain unchanged:

- Its location at Manfeild, which requires that a ‘paddock’ be transformed into a ‘mini town’ in a matter of days

- The line-up of farm machinery and tractors, hallmarks of the industry and to the people who come to see them

- The thousands of visitors and hundreds of exhibitors, united in their passion for a thriving agricultural community.

But, of course, the three-day event has also grown up over time. 

Sales manager Cheryl Riddell says the event started with 230 sites occupied by exhibitors; now it has 550. 

Businesses clamour to take part because of other exhibitors’ success, she says.

“For example, Lumberland got 74 leads to quote on farm buildings during the last field days, plus another 15 the following week.

“The opportunity is immense for businesses to connect with customers, and vice versa. It’s a great way for people to get what they need all in one place and to have some fun.”

This opportunity hasn’t gone unnoticed; other events have sprung up to make the most of the groundswell. The field days now rounds out NZ AgriFood Week, which started in 2016, and follows the rural games which began in 2015.

About 30,000 visitors regularly attend and events are held within the show, e.g. the National Excavator Operator competition that has been at Central Districts field days right from the start. 

“The excavator competition is a lot more exciting than it may sound to some. Attempting to manoeuvre big machinery to do intricate tasks like pour a cup of tea is great entertainment, and the way farming machinery comes to life at the event like this is what makes it so captivating to visitors,” Riddell says.

The event requires an annual set-up of everything from basic infrastructure like water and power, to erecting hundreds of sites over a matter of days. 

Cheryl has attended every event and says “It’s worth it”.

More like this

Upbeat crowd, exhibitors at field days

With an enforced absence of two years, brought about by its cancellation in 2020, the Central District Field Days at Feilding heralded the first event of its type for 2021.

Manawatu's economy bouncing back

Although the national economy is still functioning below pre-pandemic levels and the road ahead remains uncertain, the Manawatu region appears to be bearing up well.

NZ's backbone

The Central Districts field days is designed to showcase what the Manawatu region is all about – the backbone of the NZ economy.

Longest running ag field days all go

The South Island Agricultural Field Days, held in Kirwee on the outskirts of Christchurch, will celebrate its 70th year in March 2021 with a bigger demonstration area.

Featured

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

SIDE 2025's new schedule, venue

Annual farmer gathering, the South Island Dairy Event (SIDE), is set to make history as it heads to Timaru for the first time.

Taranaki piggery goes solar

Installing 400 solar panels at their Taranaki piggery and cropping operation will have significant environmental, financial and animal welfare benefits for the Stanley family.

Editorial: Keep FTAs coming

OPINION: The dairy industry will  be a major beneficiary of a new free trade deal between NZ and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC).

National

Food charity to hold online auction

Meat the Need, New Zealand’s dedicated charity delivering locally sourced protein meals to food-insecure communities, is launching an online National…

Machinery & Products

An ideal solution for larger farms

Designed specifically for large farms that want to drill with maximum flexibility, efficiency and power, the new Lemken Solitair ST…

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Leaky waka

OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…

Know-it-alls

OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter