Crank-Up continues to grow, now taking all available space at the recreation grounds plus five paddocks at the adjacent Fonterra farm. Since 2002, it has become a full weekend event, starting on the Friday night with a street parade and ending on Sunday afternoon.
Crank Up is not only a must-attend for rural Southlanders, it attracts visitors from overseas and all over New Zealand. This year the sun shone and thousands of people attended.
The first Crank- Up was in 1986 on a local farm with 25 tractors plus other machinery on public display. The annual event has grown in popularity each year and was shifted to the Edendale recreation grounds in January 1988.
In 2013 they came from everywhere –well over 1000 entries of vintage tractors and machinery, vintage cars, stationary motors, motorbikes and a vast array of machinery, equipment and crafts. Many were operating.
As usual, this year the Crank- Up highlighted machinery that has made a difference in farming. This year the event celebrated 110 years of Ford tractors, trucks and cars and 150 years of Reid and Gray implements.
Entertainment included stunt motocross riders, celebrity events, marching girls, rugby challenge, country music, pipe bands, vintage shearing, working displays, children’s entertainment and many craft and food stalls.
It is the biggest weekend event held in Southland and also the largest in New Zealand of this kind on an annual basis.
Once again a prominent New Zealander was the club’s special guest at the Crank- Up. This year it was London Olympic gold medal rower Nathan Cohen, a Southlander.
