My fielday's exhibitor final

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Thursday 12 June 2014 - Issue Six Produced by Wintec Media Arts Students since 2004 - Celebrating 10 years of this Fieldays Exhibitor

Captions: Lioyd Downing_Nathan Guy — Photo Credit: Cherylward.

All day: Fencing Championship finals; Fieldays Innovation Centre; Kiwi’s Best Kitchen; Tractor Pull; Kids’ Mini Digger 9.00: Chainsaw Carving Challenge 9.30: Rural Bachelor Heat 5 - 11.00: Ag Art Wear - 1.15: Sheepdog trials- 2.30: Innovation Den 3.30: Suzuki Extreme Air

BY THE NUMBERS 10 patients requiring medical attention after the first two hours.

130 Eftpos terminals distributed throughout the various areas.

30 possum fur products sold at the Outback clothing tent.

75 ice creams and milkshakes sold via the Danish ice cream stall.

40 photographs posed for by the ‘Tru-Test Cows.’

Follow us on Twitter: @waikatonews Stay up to date with our live #Fieldays Twitter feed at: www.waikatoindependent.co.nz

OUR COVER PHOTOGRAPH Brathan Bolsom, 7, and Quaide Bolsom, 4, are visiting Fieldays from Matamata with their dad and nana.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cheryl Ward

THE BALLOON GOES UP C

abinet minister Nathan Guy and Fieldays President Lloyd Downing shared a pair of giant red scissors as they cut the ribbon to officially open the 45th Fieldays yesterday.

When Guy, the Minister of Primary Industries, first stood on the opening stage a voice from the crowd broke the silence shouting, “Mr Guy, what are you going to do about ACC mate?” to which Guy swiftly moved on to welcome the crowd to the 45th Fieldays.

Guy noted his experience as a teenager helping out at the tractor pull many years ago, before moving on to encourage farmers to band together to achieve this year’s Fieldays theme: “Getting down to business in the global economy.”

He reported that New Zealand’s exports to around 200 countries and feeds four million people each year, adding, “We’ve set a target to double that by 2045”.

“We’re forecast to grow around seven per cent each year for the next four

years.”

Following the speech Fieldays President Lloyd Downing and vicepresident Warrick Roberts raised the Fieldays flag while an accompanying bagpipe band played the happy birthday song.

Police raised the New Zealand flag next to it while the national anthem played.

The crowd rose as the flag did for the national anthem.

“I’ve never heard happy birthdayor the national anthem on the bagpipes before!” one woman noted.

As the ribbon was cut at

the end of the ceremony President Downing said, “I’d now like to declare the forty fifth New Zealand Fieldays as open.”

Streamers then burst out at the crowed as children excitedly watched the dozens of colourful helium balloons released from behind the stage as they floated into the sky.

“Mr Guy, what are you going to do about ACC mate?”

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FIELDAYS

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FarmerHealth

By Cory Rosser

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lex McMillan is up and ready to go at what most would call the crack of dawn, but what dairy farmers see as a late morning start.

It’s 6.30am and the sun hasn’t yet risen in Paeroa. The farm is shrouded in a heavy layer of fog. It’s a spooky sight, but the 19-year-old is used to it.

After a short trip down the road on the back of a muddy dirt bike, Alex gets straight to work, hauling himself up onto the farm’s tractor and emptying a bag of mineral mix onto the maize silage in the trailer. There are 350 cows on this farm, and they’re not going to feed themselves.

Today is a more relaxed day for this farmer. It’s not milking or calving season, so the day’s tasks are generally limited to feeding and shifting cows, then doing maintenance work. Today it’s tagging heifers and fishing wandering cattle out of ditches, among other things.

During milking season he’s up at five and milking the cows before he’s even had his breakfast. Working roughly a 12 hour day, it’s easy to understand how he might not find time to visit the doctor if he’s feeling unwell. But it’s a good thing Alex did visit the doctor on February 25, or things might have ended badly.

Alex’s girlfriend was sitting in class when she received a text from him saying that his appendix was inflamed and he was going into surgery.

“I hadn’t heard from him all morning so I texted him to make sure he was okay,” says 19-year-old Wintec journalism student Sacha Harwood. “He texted me back ‘I’m in hospital.’”

Alex says “Normally when I’m crook I can do what I’ve got to do at work, but in the morning I could hardly milk. I milked that morning and I could hardly walk in the cow shed.

“In the morning I said to the relief milker ‘I’ve got a p re t t y s o re s i d e .

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Caption: Alex McMillan, 6.30am, taking care of the flock. Photo: Cheryl Ward.

Fe e l s l i ke i t c o u l d b e my a p p e n d i x .’ A n d s h e w a s l i ke ‘ Na h , yo u ’ l l b e a l r i g h t ,’ in the good old f a s h i o n e d K i w i w a y.”

While the fact that he was in too much pain to climb the tractor steps should have been a warning sign, it was only once he found himself lying in bed hugging a pillow that Alex realised it might be time to pay the doctor a visit.

“He was lucky that he caught it when he did,” Sacha says. “I think if he had listened to a lot of people and just hardened up then it could have been a lot worse.”

Alex believes to a degree that there’s a stigma attached to farmers seeking medical help. “We think we’re a pack of hard bastards,” he laughs.

The weekend following his surgery found him throwing tyres onto a maize pile, something doctors didn’t envision him doing when they told him he needed six weeks of rest. Six weeks is a long time for a dairy farmer, according to Alex.

Even though his boss was

giving him all the time he needed to recover, Alex said he felt hopeless, and that he knew he could do the work himself.

Sacha says “I was worried that he wasn’t going to have enough self-control to sit still for the amount of time it would take for him to recover. And he didn’t, which did create complications.”

Alex popped his stitches out while working, giving him an infection which lasted for at least two weeks.

He’s not the only dairy farmer who can’t sit still though. James Young has already had the flu for several days, but is still hard at work.

“I haven’t had a sick day for four years,” he says.

James believes being up and about doing farm work helps get rid of colds and flus quicker. “I think it speeds it up a little bit,” he says. “When you’re sick at home I reckon you feel worse. When you’re out working, your mind’s on the job, not feeling sick.

“I don’t want to go to the doctor. They poke and prod you. I feel like a cow.”

Moments later, James receives a call on his cellphone, and is immediately off down the road on a quad bike, despite being ill. Some cows are in places they shouldn’t be, it turns out.

Then we meet Josh Firth, a farmer, who says he’d probably wait till he had to be carried to the doctor before he’d go.

In a bid to encourage people like Josh to visit their doctor once in a while, the Waikato and Bay of Plenty division of the New Zealand Cancer Society will be attending this year’s Fieldays at the Mystery Creek events centre. They’ll be focusing on men’s health, specifically colon cancer.

With what they hope will be a fun, informal and interactive environment, they aim to get people more interested in their own health and the prevention of diseases.

Being self-employed means taking time off is perhaps even trickier for Josh. One of the worst parts he finds about having to work while sick is the weather.

“You can’t relax,” he

says. “It’s generally crap weather, which doesn’t rea l l y hel p .”

He, too, agrees there’s a bit of a stigma when visiting the doctor, saying he doesn’t like to show weakness.

“Last time I went to the doctor I ended up in surgery,” Alex says sheepishly.

“Don’t do that again,” Josh jokes.

“Last time I went to the doctor I ended up in surgery,”

FIELDAYS

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Pakistan truck

By Caitlin Wallace Caption: Peter Grant educates Fieldays goers with the culturally rich Van, Photo: Lauren Bovaird

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he Pakistani culture has been brought to Fieldays in the form of a van.

Commercial photographer and Waipu resident Peter Grant brought his van which has been decorated in Pakistani art.

Pakistani truck artist, Younus Nawaz, came to New Zealand to paint the van at an exhibition in Wellington.

The truck was painted a month ago and took just six days.

“There is a Pakistani community here and they suggested it,” Grant said.

He said the idea started in the 1960s when truck drivers lonely in their travels started drawing their fantasies of paradise.

“Aspirations are depicted in the truck to personify the vehicle,” he said.

The colourful van symbolised peace and unity, and every painted truck has an eye on it.

“They have eyes on them

to ward away the evil eye,” he said.

The van also had painting of a kiwi with the flag symbols in it to show the mix of both cultures.

Peacocks were painted on the van to symbolise the unity in Pakistan.

Grant has been to Pakistan four times to photograph the culture.

The truck will stay for the four days of Fieldays before moving on to Auckland.

Putting The Boot in S

kellerup has put a Fieldays spin on the well-loved game of mini-golf.

The company has replaced the average golf club head with a Redband gumboot and called it Gumbi-Putt.

For a gold coin donation anyone can give this farmerapproved game a go.

Gumbi-Putt will be running at 10am and 2pm each day during Fieldays and all the money raised will go towards Heart Kids Foundation.

Skellerup marketing executive Deborah Allan said at the 2012 Fieldays more than $200 was raised for the Heart Kids foundation.

“One of the reasons is I actually have a friend who lost a child from a heart condition so that was one of the reasons for picking it [Heart Kids], but also it’s a really good charity to give to,” Allan said.

Fieldays visitor Raj Kung was one of the first for

2013 to try the game and unfortunately failed to get close to making any holes.

Kung said the game is a lot harder than it looks.

“The rubber from the golf-club definitely makes it harder,” he said. “But it’s for a good cause so I’m not embarrassed at all.”

Seven-year-old Sean Young had more luck, getting all three of his balls closer to the hole and earing himself one of the Redband prizes.

“It was a lot of fun,” he said.

The game was thought up by area manager from Christchurch, Tony Fuller, and is the “real-life” version of the virtual Gumbi-Putt on their website.

“It’s just a lot of fun, and everyone enjoys it,” said Ange Redman, a company representative staffing the Gumbi-Putt green. “Kids and adults all line up and it’s for a good cause.”

By Ali Brady

Caption: Gumboot golf: Raj Kung tests his skills in Gumbi-Putt.

Pipe Toss

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veryone will have the opportunity to test their strength at tossing a 23kg pipe at this year’s Fieldays thanks to Hynds Pipes.

Toss the Boss is a competition adapted from the toss the caber event in the Highland games.

Hynds Pipes staff member, Shaun Stock said a boss pipe is one of their plastic culvets and weigh anywhere from 20 to 30kg.

“Basically it’s like a caber from the highland games and you’ve just got to try and get that as far as you can,” Stock said. “ You’ve just to biff it up there.”

The competition will run through Fieldays and there are different divisions for prizes.

“There’s 70kg and under, 70 to 100kg and 100kg and over,” he said. “And women and kids have their own division.”

The winner of each

category will be determined whoever throws the pipe the furthest.

As of Wednesday morning the leading contestant had thrown the pipe 7.1 meters and the leading kid throw was 3 meters.

The winners will each receive a “Scooler”.

“It’s a ride on chilly bin, called a Scooler - like a cooler but also a scooter,” Bloggs said.

Stock said the reaction to the event has been

By Ali Brady

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FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Chainsaw Sculture

By Kelsey Wilkie

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en wielding chainsaws spent the day creating wooden masterpieces on Thursday.

Chainsaw carvers had all day to create their sculptures for the Chainsaw Carving Challenge.

Each carver has at least three chainsaws with blades in multiple sizes to compete for a share of the $3000 prize pool.

Starting at 9am on Thursday, the men dressed in Waikato Draught tee shirts, began sketching out their designs on to giant blocks of wood.

“They’re pretty skilled,” said spectator Crosby Radburn. “I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

They had the choice to either carve a Toyota car or Toyota logo.

Not just anyone with a chainsaw can do it, said Stihl marketing m a n a ge r Sta ce Ha l l .

“Al l t h e s e g u ys a re n at ura l l y a r ti s t i c .”

Th e s c u l pt u re s w i l l be a u c t i o ne d of f Fr i d ay af te r no o n w i t h a l l p ro ce e d s going to St John. The sculptures usually go for $200-$1000 at the auction.

“All these guys are naturally artistic.”

Beeseal Shoeshine F

ree shoe shine!” booms 18-year-old Mitchell Davis as he sits around the Beeseal stall with a group of other workers at Fieldays.

“I work from seven to five,” he says. He will be here all four days, shining shoes for any keen passersby, and selling a few tins of Beeseal wax if he can manage it.

He shines shoes for at least a hundred people a day, he says, but the day has just started. “I’ve had four so far.”

This is his third year working for his uncle, Tony Morris, the operator of the family business.

Beeseal is used for a variety of things, according to Morris.

Not only is it for shoes,

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but it nearly any other leather product, including saddles, car dashboards, and bumper bars.

Morris says “It’ll help waterproof, protect them from the elements, stop them drying out and cracking, and restore colour.”

Morris says they have had reports from people saying it has helped out dried out and cracked hands.

“It has natural healing properties,” he says.

The business, started around 22 years ago, is run out of Whangamata.

Morris says it is good for them to come to Fieldays.

“You get that concentration of people,” he says, “It’s a good show.”

He says Beeseal is more of a hobby business, and they’re keeping it “fairly small.”

Tins are $30 for 220g or $18 for 100g. They are also running a ‘buy two big tins, get a small tin free’ deal.

By Melissa Wishart

Caption: (photo of me get my shoes shined) Mitchell Davis goes about his work with enthusiasm. [Beeseal_ MelissaWishart_MitchellDavis_RW]

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Cropdust - Ossie James

t’s a steep walk down to ICreek’s the bottom of Mystery gate number three, flanked by thistles and dying grass.

At the bottom is a basic wooden frame with a roof on it.

Noticeably absent are walls, a floor, or anything which attempts to make it even the slightest bit pleasing on the eye.

Although this building has an underwhelming presence, what sits inside

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n dollar terms they have around half the amount they need to finish the DC-3, which was donated to the NZ National Fieldays Agricultural Heritage Museum by James Aviation in 1974.

Over the next three decades she was an unwanted child, neglected and left to feel the full wrath of the at times harsh Mystery Creek elements.

This saddened Ossie in the last few years of his life, when he would visit the Fieldays with Lynnette and witness the deprived mess.

“It came to a crisis point four years ago, we had to decide whether to demolish or restore the dilapidated plane as she had become a safety issue with bits falling off,” Lynnette says.

The answer was resoundingly in favour of restoring the plane, dubbed the ‘Hi Land Duster’ due to its ability to spread fertiliser across even the steepest

it grabs your attention by the scruff.

“She’s a big girl, she’s gorgeous,” remarks Ossie James’ daughter Lynnette.

The ‘girl’ she refers to is the red, black and white coloured James Aviation DC-3.

The aircraft forms a significant piece of New Zealand aviation and farming history, having been the first of its kind to be converted into an aerial top dresser.

New Zealand terrain.

Trustee Andy Higgins, who was formerly an engineer with James Aviation, says parts have been surprisingly easy to locate locally considering the age of the aircraft.

“We know where they all are, it’s just a matter of getting our fingers on them.

A lot of them have come from Ashburton.”

The DC-3 has her looks once again thanks to being stripped down, repainted and decked out in new parts, but the interior is another issue altogether.

“It’s made to look alright for now, but there is still a lot of work to do,” Higgins says.

“The cockpit looks as if it came from the bottom of the ocean, there is not an instrument in it.” *** The restoration project transcends the simple fact of bringing back a plane which is dear to the hearts of many in New Zealand.

After remaining stagnant for the last 37 years, the aircraft is being restored to something near its former glory.

Despite cutting a lonely figure right now, from June 12-15, thousands will visit the DC-3 as part of the 2013 National Agricultural Fieldays.

Ossie James is certainly the most well-known aviation figure in the Waikato, and perhaps the

It is also about recognising the man who created it, and if you like, about restoring his legacy for future generations.

Former Wanganui Aero

whole of New Zealand.

He got started in aviation by rescuing a Tiger Moth plane from floodwaters in 1948 before developing the largest fleet of Fletchers in the country.

By 1949 Ossie had formed the aptly named James Aviation company, which began operations in Northland and the Waikato.

James Aviation ‘s fleet extended to include 38 Fletcher Aircraft and DC3 which spread 200,000 tons of superphosphate and over half a million pounds of grass seed each year.

The Ossie James DC-3 Conservation Trust is the enthusiastic driving force behind the $700,000 restoration project of that DC-3 aircraft.

In existence since May 2010, the trust can lay claim to having one of the Waikato’s most powerful men in John Gallagher on board to direct their vision.

Work owner Richmond Harding describes his long-standing business rival as, “an exciting man to know, he was full of enthusiasm,” while

Lynnette James At High Tea

By Cory Rosser

his daughter recalls a perennial optimist, constantly searching for new opportunities in life.

Oswald George (Ossie) James had served in the Second World War as a mechanic, positioned in the Solomon Canal area.

Upon returning to New Zealand he purchased a Tiger Moth aircraft with his brothers Ian and Colin.

Armed with an abundant supply of unused New Zealand Army paint they started on a mission of a new kind.

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FIELDAYS

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hey pretty much painted every shed that was around the East Coast, from Gisborne to the East Cape,” says Lynnette.

That was when the interest in aviation started to become a love, and also where Ossie spotted the potential for his next venture.

While most who laid eyes on the eroded hillsides around New Zealand’s East saw just that, Mr James visualised dollar signs, and the chance to help the country greatly improve its productivity.

In the early days of top dressing Ossie worked exceptionally hard, often only pausing to sleep under the wings of his plane at night.

“The hours that man worked…he was going to be best man for Bob Scott, one of his pilots in Rotorua, but the day before the wedding he collapsed with bleeding ulcers and had to be in hospital for 7 days.

“It was at that point that his mother sat him down and gave him a talking to, reminding him that you could not have a love affair with an airplane and that he better find himself a wife.”

Although James Aviation eventually grew into a multi-million dollar business, Andy Higgins says Ossie’s ideas, in particular the DC-3 conversion, often garnered looks of bewilderment from within the industry.

“This was a shocker. I think there were a lot of people saying we couldn’t do it, but we just got on and did the job.

“We had our moments with little things but really it all went to plan.”

Farming as we know it

Cropdust - Ossie James ever president of the NZ Fieldays Society, and he found the piece of land which the annual show is now hosted on.

The current retirement home of the DC-3 is also just a few kilometers down the road from today could also be a very the old James Aviation different proposition had Headquarters.

Ossie and the DC-3 top The conservation trust dresser never come have big dreams for this along. big plane at Mystery Former Waikato Federated Creek.

Farmers President Stewart “What I would like to see Wadey insists the lush is a very interactive and hillside pastures which we fun place for the DC-3. now take for granted are a Something exciting and direct result of the DC-3’s modern, with things like work half a century ago. holograms, so kids will “Ossie and the DC-3’s love it. It will be very legacy can still be seen cool,” Lynette says. today in the fertile farms “ I ’ m h o p i n g i t i s g o i n g that are now in their to bring back a lot of fiftieth year of pasture. m e m o r i e s fo r p e o p l e “The DC-3 was used in a n d ke e p a l i ve t h e challenging topography, it contribution that these required some skills and of a v i a t i o n p i o n e e r s m a d e course in those days pilots t o t h e c o u n t r y.” learnt to fly by trial and error. From being a near“Ossie took things a condemned public safety bit further and had hazard only four years the passion to see if a ago, the DC-3 is now large airplane could be an ready to be shown off to economical way to service the visitors from all over the primary products industry.” world.

This particular aircraft was The restoration process never meant to even grace has been a rewarding, New Zealand shores. challenging, and at times On May 23, 1945 the emotional experience for DC-3 rolled off the those involved. production line in “To see it all come Oklahoma City, got together, we are very stamped with the US proud,” Lynnette says. military number 44“The DC-3 made a 76984 and departed for major contribution to its original destination at New Zealand and it has the United St a t e s A r my a rightful place at the NZ A i r Fo rc e s .

Fieldays in my opinion.”

S o m e w o u l d call it luck, others fate, but it never arrived and was instead handed over to New Zealand under a leaselend deal.

As part of the Royal New Zealand Air Force fleet for nine years, it was most notably used as the baggage aircraft for the Royal Tour of New Zealand

by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in late 1953.

The following year Ossie epainting sheds all purchased it and produced over New Zealand is the world’s first DC-3 top the main theme of this dresser plane. year’s Department of The Hi Land Duster, Ossie Conservation exhibition at James and the Fieldays Fieldays. are a three-piece with a DOC and Dulux New rich history.

Zealand announced the Mr James was the first $1.5 million, three year

Doc Partnership

R

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By Cory Rosser partnership in February.

It will see the 973 recreation huts and lodges, which support more than 14,000 km of track, repainted to help preserve them from the harsh elements.

DOC Ranger Bruce Postill said the Fieldays exhibition offered a great chance to reach a wide audience and further educate people on the hut campaign.

“We have got this fantastic current partnership deal which is really amazing.

“It’s been fantastic, a lot of trampers and hunters are really keen to come along and paint a hut because they use them.”

DOC have been attending the Fieldays for 26 years, hosting various different events and exhibitions.

This year there was an emphasis on having lots of staff members on hand to mix and mingle with visitors “We get more people

through at Fieldays over the three days than we sometimes do in a whole year at visitor centres,” Postill said.

Another significant part of the DOC exhibition was information on water quality preservation and cleaner farming in the future.

“Freshwater fish and the issues associated with the degraded river systems we have in the Waikato are a concern,” Postill said.

Waiariki agriculture tutor Wayne Tomks, who had brought along 18 students from Tokoroa, said he was impressed with the DOC showpiece.

“It’s a really good setup here, conservation is really important,” Tomks said.

“Obviously dirty dairying doesn’t go down too well.

With regards to irrigation and not putting crappy water in local streams and creeks, we do teach that and it’s crucial.”

DOC will be at Fieldays for the remainder of the event, at site number 53 on F Street.

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Rugby Union Caption: Waikato Rugby players Teddy Tauroa,Rory Grice and Declan O’Donnell say hi to Fieldays visitors Three Waikato rugby players were at Fieldays today greeting fans and showing off the Ranfurly Shield.

By Ria Elkington

F

ieldays visitors had the chance to get a photo and an autograph with the players, Teddy Tauroa, Rory Grice and Declan O’Donnell, and the shield.

The rugby players were more than happy to greet fans and chat about their upcoming season.

The guys were all smiles and banter as they shared stories about strange requests they have received in the past from fans.

Turoa and Grice said fans usually ask O’Donnell to take off his shirt.

“And Rory once had to sign someone’s forehead,” Turoa said.

Waikato Rugby Union commercial manager David Fox said the fans are great, and the guys love meeting them.

He said they were there to take a chance to talk to farmers, and to promote their sponsors LIC and Kukri.

“We are trying to link up with farmers and get them back into the stadium,” Fox said.

The WRU were offering farmers season membership tickets to the 2013 ITM Cup season which kicks off in August.

“We have a scheme where we are offering a season pass in exchange for rearing

calves,” Fox said.

The farmers are asked to raise a calf for them and have it weighing 100kgs by the first of November to help raise money for the union.

Fox said the farmers are given one pass per calf

Dog Show!

C

helsea Marriner’s 10 dogs are anything but ordinary.

As well as being able to sit on command she has trained her dogs to skateboard, jump through hoops and perform ballet, just to name a few.

Dogmattic is her travelling dog show and she will be performing twice a day for the duration of Fieldays.

Where is Mrs Washer?

“Washer, show us your guns man,” Bryce Lovett

Marriner and her dogs are well known to New Zealanders after they competed on New Zealand’s Got Talent in October 2012, an experience that she said has opened up more opportunities.

“This is the fifth year we’ve done Fieldays,” Marriner said. “This year we’ve brought three young dogs in and done more with them. So we’ve sort of started from scratch with the dogs and the routine.”

The reaction from the crowd was very positive.

Fieldays visitor Pam Chitty said the show was “absolutely wonderful.”

“My favourite was the skateboarding dogs. They were just all really, really amazing and obviously very intelligent dogs,” Chitty said.

Marriner said she stole her dad’s puppy when she was two and that’s when it all started for her.

“I stole his puppy and got into a bit of trouble of him, and then I saw Wonder Dogs when I was four and I decided if they could do it then I could too,” Marriner said.

Marriner, who is celebrating her 22nd birthday today,

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eam Washer was in full support at the wood chopping heat at the Rural Bachelor of the Year competition on Thursday.

Bryce and Jess Lovett from Matamata are close friends of bachelor Simon Washer and reckon he will be the outright winner on Saturday.

They’re just waiting for Mrs Washer to be found despite frequent Sunday morning calls from Washer in Taranaki to Bryce, letting him know he might have found Mrs Washer on Saturday night.

Washer lived with Bryce and Jess for a few years, which gave the men to develop their friendship.

“We have a bit of a bromance, we talk on the phone every day and every time he tells me he’s looking for Mrs Washer.”

“Washer, show us your guns man,” shouts Bryce.

If the Lovetts aren’t supporting their main

said that it usually takes a couple of years to train each dog the tricks and she spends most mornings training.

All dogs are heading dogs and were bred to work on the farm. Marriner said that while they love the tricks, sheep farming is what they really love to do.

“They hear quads and see metal rods and they’re just hanging out the window.

They love it.”

After Fieldays, Dogmattic has a competition down in Hawera for agility and then dog trials there the following week.

“Hopefully we’ll find some farms in between to let off some steam.”

man Washer, they’ll be supporting Matamata bachelor Fergus King who won the wood-chopping heat this morning.

In true Kiwi style, Bryce loves the rivalry between Washer and King on the rugby field when Washer comes up from Taranaki.

“The best thing about it, is that they play for different clubs in Matamata when Washer’s up so there’s already a rivalry,” said Bryce.

By Ria Elkington

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FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Cow Udders got two slits so it’s more leak resistant.”

A Karapiro dairy farmer, who wished not to be named, is looking for a new teat product for his calves. He says that the Peach Teat seems to be widely recommended.

“Cows might die or get sick if they don’t have a feed and there is Caption: Peach Teat CEO Rob McIntyre with the calf feeding product. Photo by Naomi Johnston nothing more annoying than that,” he said. eats are all the talk at a work like a real cow’s teat, Rob McIntyre says that the McIntyre admits that there Fieldays stall this year. moving all the time as the idea came about 20 years were problems when The Stallion calf feeder calf is suckling. This year ago when teats were not the product was initially stall is also home to Peach they are being exhibited taken as seriously. introduced to the market, Teats, a Hunterville-based while attached to Stallion’s “We thought we would have but he feels they have now business that specialises range of feeders. a teat that calves accept got it “pretty right.” in manufacturing what The latest development is readily.”

Peach Teat sells over they claim to be “the most threaded housing, which He says it is different from one million teats a year natural feeding teat” for means that anyone with other products because of worldwide. calves on the market. a homemade feeder can the way the nipple is cut.

The Peach Teat attaches to thread a Peach Teat to it.

“The nipple hasn’t got a feeders and is intended to Peach Teat CEO and founder cross at the end of it, it’s just

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By Taylor Sincock

“Cows might die or get sick if they don’t have a feed and there is nothing more annoying than that,”

Standfirst into the im

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ine times New Zealand Superbike champion Andrew Stroud was on hand to offer some star power to the Fieldays.

A former world champion in the British European American Racing Series, Stroud spent the 1990s racing in the World Superbike Championship before returning to live in Hamilton.

Now working with Suzuki in an ambassador role, Stroud will be stationed at the company’s promotional tent for the remainder of the event to sign autographs, pose for photos or simply talk motorcycles with fellow enthusiasts.

“I’ve usually come along [to Fieldays] and spent quite a lot of time here.

There’s always lots to see and it’s a good day out.

“I’ve ridden for Suzuki for 13 years now, they have been a great company to be involved with so I like to give back in any way I can.”

These days Stroud, 45, spends his time attending

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NineTimes various events as an ambassador or guest speaker, while also working as a driver instructor at the Hampton Downs race circuit near Meremere in the North Waikato.

In addition to this he still competes at the highest level of New Zealand Superbike racing and has a staggering nine children at home, with another on the way.

Despite all of this he insists another tilt at the championship next year is on the cards and has a special milestone in mind.

“People always say about having nine children and nine NZ superbike championships.

“Now I have got another child on the way so I am going for 10 and 10 next year!”

By Cory Roser

FIELDAYS

Gordonton School Story: used between clear plastic laminate, A to Z letters drawn on white cards sit above wall-length windows. Twenty-one orange, brown, and yellow cutouts, possibly lions, look down on activities. A length of string drawn the classroom width displays pegged artworks, hung to a height prejudicial to all but under six-year-olds.

Pegs secure hot air balloons crafted from paper and string with dangling paper baskets; multiple versions of

F

the Fieldays?”

“Tractors and trailers,” says Kaden.

Ben says “Ploughs.” His voice is soft yet matter-of-fact.

“Gumboot shop,” suggests Danelle. The room experiences rare silence.

Danelle clarifies louder: “Where the gumboots are.”

“Now,” Mrs Sunde asks, “Why are we going to see tractors, and gumboots, and things like that?”

The kids shuffle on the mat.

Gordonton Primary School, a rural school of 260 pupils, sits on bumpy countryside

t: The Fieldays is not just tractors and cows. Rachel Knopp takes a trip maginations of Gordonton Primary School’s Room 9. sunflowers in orange, yellow and green; and self-portraits with descriptive texts in cloud-shaped white bubbles read, ‘Ko Ben ahau’, ‘Ko John ahau’, and ‘Ko Meg ahau’.

The pregnant Mrs Sam Sunde, Gordonton Primary School’s Room Nine teacher, sits low on a chair in front of her 21 crossed-legged pupils sitting on the mat. “I thought this morning we would draw a picture of all the things we might see at the Fieldays,” Mrs Sunde says. Her loose fitting emerald green blouse barely hides her baby bump.

Her unborn child gets a front row seat and head start in the schooling system.

Her pupils sit further back making indistinguishable chatter, their voices sound the same: soft and high and innocent. Mrs Sunde raises her right arm, touches the side of her left pointer finger to her lips and patiently encourages quiet. The children copy her pose and the room falls silent.

“Has anyone been to the Fieldays?” asks Mrs Sunde.

Three of the 21 children raise their arms. “What sorts of things might you see at

just over a one-way bridge on a back road, off another back road from Hamilton to Auckland, in the village of Gordonton.

“At the Fieldays you can see all kinds of things,” Mrs Sunde explains. “What sorts of people go to the Fieldays?”

Nathan raises his hand.

“Farmers?”

The class erupts with contributions. They talk over each other.

“My dad is a farmer.”

“My brother is a farmer.”

“I like the farm.”

She shushes the class and they copy her ‘quiet’ pose each good student looking around to catch the last classmate to be silent.

The boys wear t-shirts with pictures of machines and their heroes: ‘Fighter jets.

Not Guilty Squadron’ - a red and blue fighter jet shoots across the grey t-shirt sky.

‘Honda Classic Annual Custom Bike Interstate’ - a gleaming metal machine accompanies the text. The Batman symbol sits in its yellow oval badge on a black t-shirt. Two monster trucks with fat wheels and exposed

shocks war with each other over a 6-year-old’s t-shirt.

background in a photo of a tractor: “There’s an awesome one.”

“Most of the children at this The blue table must be school live on farms,” says where the class’s business Mrs Sunde. “Just three or minds gravitate. At Jessica’s four come from the city.

Fieldays, her family visits Hamilton.” She looks at the a shop. “They are going to little farmers. “This was buy some gumboots at the where I went to school.” shop,” Jessica says. She has The girls wear multiple gumboots, “Rainbow Dash combinations of pink and ones.” She points to another purple: a purple top with shop, “And a food shop, you light pink, dark pink, and blue can buy cakes.” She goes on horizontal stripes. Pink tights to explain that burgers are with small purple hearts and available. pink socks. A pink fleece.

Danelle has drawn cows, A pink dress. Pink gloves.

“The flower one is a girl, and Purple jeans. Pink hair tie. also the second one is a boy.

“I want you to tell a buddy There is food. Like burgers what you might put in your and stuff and pies. Because picture of the Fieldays.” Kids I go to work with my dad turn to each other and, after and mum always buys pies spirited discussions, Mrs to have.” She colours a cow Sunde asks the children what purple, “I also like sausage rolls. The gumboots are $5. they will draw.

Um, the tractors are,” she Elle is going to draw cows.

Taylor: “Cows and sheeps.” decides, “$9.”

Ben: “Tractors and trailers.”

Kyla has coloured all the Nathan: “Food.” animals red, “It’s a Sheep Ava: “A tractor.” She asks and it’s $5.” A red cow is if she can bring her dog to $10 and gumboots are, school. The answer is no. So “Just like… $5.” Maybe she she asks if she can bring her considered the popularity of cat. The answer is also no. red gumboots because she Alastair: “Food.” makes a price adjustment, Danelle is committed to the “Actually $3.”

Gumboot Shop.

Is the dog for sale?

Mrs Sunde hands out sheets “No,” Kyla says. “But the of paper and the children tractor is $1. Grapes and pita return to their tables. They breads are $2.” set to work.

It is a beautiful summer day The classroom walls shout at Zoe’s Fieldays, “That’s me, learning in colour. It is the my mum, nana, Aunty Lizzy. visual equivalent to too That is my granddad. That’s a much sugar. Above the white cow and sheep.” She explains board cut-out coloured that her family has just one letters spell MATHS, the tractor. It’s red. “And my dad subject seems exciting with is going to buy a blue one. its blue A, yellow T, Green We only have black cows H, and red S. The shelves and our neighbours have are green and blue and store those cows and those cows.” colourful blocks, folders, She points to a picture of a containers, and books. brown and a black and white “Room nine, I’ve just found cow. Has she been to the some newspapers that have Fieldays? “Only two times.” some farming pictures. If She is six-years-old. you see a cool picture you The word WRITING is can cut it out and stick spelt across the front it on.” Mrs Sunde places wall, the black letters are publications on the mat at hand-drawn with coloured the front of the classroom. outlines. PUBLISHING sits Chairs fall backwards, further along, a hanging children bump into each star in the publishing other, and pencils roll off sections asks: ‘Does it tables. The kids rush to make sense?’ A poster lists the front of the classroom. the stages of writing: 1.

A group of three blond Drafting, 2. Revision, 3. boys lean over an opened Proof Reading, 4. Editing, newspaper, Alastair, Samuel, 5. Publication. and Nathan. Nathan, the Alastair has drawn tractors leader, identifies their and glued tractor pictures task: “We are trying to to his Fieldays. He points find a fence.” But all the and names each machine, pictures are motorbikes and “John Deer, Case.” Case tractors. Samuel points to is his favourite kind. He a very distant fence in the considers its virtues, “They

EXHIBITOR

By Taylor Sincock are strong.” He can drive a John Deer but not a Case, “Because they have hard things. They are very hard to push and pedals.”

Is this a Case?

“No it’s a McCormick. It is trying to carry a chopper, but it can’t.”

What’s a chopper?

“The chopper does the maize.”

Is that a chopper?

“No, it’s a combine.”

They do the same thing?

Don’t they?

“No, that one chops maize and this one chops grain.”

A combine does the grain.

He points to the tractors on his page, “John Deer, John Deer, that’s a different kind of John Deer, Case, Case, McCormick, Chopper.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?

“I am going to drive a maize chopper.”

Gordonton Primary School’s Room Nine have worked hard. The state of the room is proof. Papers are destroyed by snips.

Glue sticks lay abandoned, caps lost. Coloured pencils lie on the floor. Mrs Sunde ends the activity: “It is play time now. We will clean this mess up after the break.”

The orange, brown, and yellow lions watch as the children pass beneath them out the door.

Squeals, joy, the children disappear outside until the next classroom activity, one they will approach with wonder, blissfully unaware of its pleasurable newness. Everything is wonderful when you are 5 years old, especially the Fieldays.

09

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

W

ritten by Matthew Robinson Caption: SUNNY SIDE: Paul McGovern is keen to show off his solar panel.

Photo by Cheryl Ward.

The future is looking bright for farmers with cheaper solar power on display at Fieldays this year.

Company Lister Petter (SPELL)is showing off its solar panel technology, improving the cost and the way water can be pumped.

“Take power to the water rather than water to the power” says Paul McGovern, Lister Petter regional manager.

McGovern says the units are cheaper than they used to be, and they’re coming down in price.”

For $10,000 you get the solar panel, the pump, inverter and mounting frame.

“The mounting frame nearly costs as much as the panel”, says McGovern, pointing out how cheap the panels are becoming.

Over time a solar panel becomes a great investment, as the power

F

encing competitors at Fieldays this year are competing for money and prizes, but not the coveted Golden Pliers award.

Forty-five years since the Golden Pliers were part of the first Fieldays fencing competition, sponsorship of the event has fallen short and the Golden Pliers have failed to appear.

“It’s probably due to Wiremark withdrawing its sponsorship. They own the Golden Pliers, it’s sort of what draws all the really good competitive fencers,” said Brewer.

Some fence components weigh up to 100kgs but the competition requires more than just strength and agility, according to one of the event organisers Bill Brewer.

“Those are probably the two most important things but you have to

10

Solar Power

By Mathew Robinson is free from the sun.

Farmers don’t have to worry about connecting an isolated patch on land on an island or hilltop to the national power grid.

Solar panels point north to collect the maximum amount of sun and create a cheaper and greener alternative to diesel pumps.

With much of the country still recovering from drought easier and cheaper water is proving popular amongst dry stock and dairy farmers who need plenty of water for milking cows.

Caption: SUNNY SIDE: Paul McGovern is keen to show off his solar panel.

Photo by Cheryl Ward.

FencingComp have a bit of brains to know what you’re doing.

Methods and experience helps,” says Brewer.

Farmers from across New Zealand compete up to eight hours in the scorching Waikato sun to complete a conventional nine wire, three batten fence.

This year there are nearly all new faces in the finals with no previous champions competing.

Competitor Tony Bouskill of Napier has entered the last three years and made it to the finals once, making him the only old face in this year’s final.

After one competitor has finished his fence every other competitor loses a point for every minute they fail to finish.

The judges then go through and check the quality by testing the plumb and tension of the

fence.

This year the first prize is $5000 along with sponsorship prizes that include chainsaws and vouchers.

By Mathew Robinson

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Kiwi Kitchen

B

en Armstrong is wearing a black chef hat, a striped dirty apron that looks like he has had a bucket of food thrown on him and grey-checkered pants, and has a smile on his face.

It is a busy Saturday night at Iguana restaurant in Hamilton and dessert chef Armstrong is hard at work preparing immaculate dishes for the customers.

A machine starts printing off a ticket, and Armstrong quickly grabs it and sticks it onto a metal panel.

It’s a dessert order for four.

Chocolate overload, fruit salad, lemon meringue pie

and raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake.

He starts grabbing dishes and sauces to prepare the desserts.

He takes a slice of chocolate cake from the fridge and places it on a plate.

“The best Kiwi dessert would have to be chocolate cake, it is just the most common one, and every Kiwi loves chocolate,” Armstrong says.

The cuisine Armstrong prepares is the best of

Kiwi, and that’s the theme this year of a display area at that most Kiwi of institutions, Fieldays.

Visitors can expect, if not chocolate cake and meringue pies, other classics.

The Kiwi’s Best Kitchen marquee is designed to showcase quality New Zealand food and beverages. Each year a celebrity chef cooks prepares and demonstrates a range of Kiwi cuisine.

This year that will be Masterchef New Zealand judge Josh Emett.

He is excited to be this year’s celebrity chef as he and his father used to come to Fieldays when he was a youngster.

“My father cooked in the burger truck they had at field days. The burgers were great, they used to go off,” Emett says.

He will cook an array of dishes for Kiwi’s Best Kitchen including duck, quail, rabbit, and vegetable dishes.

The New Zealand heartland is not all about local cuisine, though. Not too far from Fieldays, the Persimmon Tree Café in Pirongia serves dishes based on the owners’ overseas travels.

Michelle Knot and her husband Andrew Park, proud parents of two, took over the café in May 2007 after working as chefs around London and France.

A lot of Knot’s ideas for cooking foods in the café come from her travels. She tries to recreate dishes that

By Mathew Robinson

she has tried and loved overseas, as well as foods that she enjoys eating.

Their most popular dish at the café is the Japanese Garden Salad.

But there’s a local flavor to Knot’s tastes as well. She starts reminiscing about her nana’s famous chocolate slice.

“I remember going to my nana’s house and there was always chocolate slice being made, or pikelets fresh from the pan.”

Knot says that she only occasionally watches cooking shows like Masterchef and My Kitchen Rules, but when she does she gets inspired by the meals they create.

Armstrong also says he doesn’t watch cooking shows.

“I just don’t have time to watch them - either that or they are on while I am working.”

Armstrong continues making his chocolate overload dessert. Another chef comes by grabs a jersey caramel lolly, looks around to see if no one is looking, and shoves it in his mouth.

Armstrong catches him at the last second, but he is already gone.

“Staff come back here often and eat the lollies,” laughs Armstrong.

He glances up at the clock and notices the time: 9.25pm.

“Honestly after cooking all day, the last thing I want to do when I get home is cook, so I usually settle on twominute noodles,” says

Armstrong.

Knot also eats very plain dinners when at home.

Lots of boiled rice, broccoli, carrots and normally a fried or roast meat.

“We have been getting takeaways more often now than it has ever been. Once every two weeks. We had takeaways last night. In saying that, we had KFC - it wasn’t very nice though,” says Knott.

Persimmon Tree Café is big on New Zealand made and produced products.

Knott says local produce is a big focus in New Zealand, and they are all about trying to support locally produced food and suppliers.

Kiwi’s Best Kitchen will also be promoting and selling locally produced and made foods, cookware, beverages, kitchen accessories, as well as Emett’s new range of slow cooked meats. ”It’s a hugely iconic New Zealand event that has gone from strength to strength.

I’m very excited about coming to Fieldays and looking forward to meeting some good rural people; it’s going to be spectacular,” Emett says.

Kiwi dessert would have to be chocolate cake, it is just the most common one, and every Kiwi loves chocolate,”

“The best

11

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Fonterra Mural

By Melissa Wishart

fact that milk is in schools now, which is a great initiative from Fonterra.”

Muller said they were getting a lot of people helping on it, including a large number of adults, and the painting had gone a lot faster than they expected.

“We were kind of banking on one of these taking a couple of days,” he said. “This will be done by the end of the day.

“We haven’t not had at least two or three people on it at a time.”

He said the finished product would probably be put up in Caption: [FonterraMural_MW2] Craig Muller said that milk in schools was a “great one of the Fonterra offices. initiative”.[FonterraMural_ML] The paint by numbers mural is a popular attraction for “What I love about it is the fact that it’s art-based,” he said. “There’s no one who onterra has put up a doesn’t like painting. paint by numbers mural “If people can feel like in their stall at Fieldays for they’ve had their little bit of children to contribute to. involvement in something “There are a lot of kids at that ends up being a massive the Fieldays and we want piece of art at the end then I to get the kids something think that’s great. interactive that they can do,” “I did the sun,” he added. said Craig Muller, who was They have other murals to supervising the painting. put up once the first one is Muller works for a finished. production company called Madant, a partner of Fonterra.

“Obviously it ties into the

F

New technology advanc

Doug The Digger K

ids are being encouraged to learn reading and writing by driving a digger.

Leighton Barnett, 3, was all smiles as he operated the mini digger – with help from a Tai Poutini digger school student.

Kids have to opportunity to jump on the mini digger and have a turn digging a hole or try lifting a stick at Fieldays.

Doug the Digger and Tai Poutini are joining forces to teach kids how to operate a digger and encourage them in their schooling too by having them complete the correct paper work required for health and

12

safety.

“It’s good for the students because it helps teach them as they teach others,” said Alistair McIntyre from New Zealand Contractors Federation.

Alex Munroe, 12, has been operating excavators for two years and can probably operate the mini digger with his eyes closed.

He impressed the organisers so much they said he could have a go by himself if he wrote out t h e safety steps.

When asked what he wanted to do once he left school, “drive diggers,” he replied.

“Young ones who are really keen on machines tend to

(Caption: DIGGING EDUCATION: Alex Munroe shows off his digging skills to Alistair McIntyre.

PHOTO: Lauren Bovaird) not be so keen with reading and writing,” said McIntyre.

This is the way the world works now, young people need to understand you have to be able to do the reading and writing side of it too, he said.

Doug the Digger is part

of the Fun Company, which travels around New Zealand encouraging and inspiring school kids with interactive learning opportunities.

By Kelsey Wilkie

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Niwa Weather

ces weather forecasts for farmers!

T

here are light southerly winds, it is partly cloudy with a low chance of rainfall, and about 16ºC. The sun peeks through the clouds as Gerald and Claire Bull describe how important weather forecasts are to them.

Checking the weather forecast is a daily ritual for the couple who own 400ha across their farms in Ngaruawahia, Northern Hawke’s Bay, and Raglan.

Mr and Mrs Bull live on their Ngaruawahia farm near the outskirts of the rural village that is Glen Massey. Knowing the weather is crucial to the wellbeing of the 1600 ewes on their land.

The farmers analyse the weather forecast a week in advance for both their summer and winter shearing seasons. “You take a big risk if you start to go near sheep shearing and do not try to manage it around the weather,” says Mr Bull.

Mr Bull says it is important to be on the top of your game when it comes to

shearing time. “You’re changing a sheep’s environment dramatically by taking off its woolly coat,” he says.

Sheep are more susceptible to the cold after losing the warmth of their wool.

If they are exposed to excessive or prolonged weather stress, they may lose their ability to maintain a stable body heat, which could result in them dying from hypothermia.

Mrs Bull says the weather forecasts help them manage their time, and their farm operation more efficiently. The farmers use the online Metvuw service to help them choose a sequence of dry days before they call in the shearers. As an extra precaution, they get their shearers to use cover combs, leaving about 14 days of wool on the sheep.

Farmers will have the opportunity to trial future weather forecasting technology at Fieldays.

Scientists at The National Institute of Water and

Atmospheric Research (Niwa) are developing a tool which will provide farmers with daily up-todate weather information specific to their land. Niwa will give demonstrations of the forecasting tool at their Fieldays site.

The tool was designed to inform farmers when it is best to irrigate, but scientists hope to expand the project to help with other farming operations such as harvesting, fertilising, and stock movement. It has been trialled for a couple of years in Canterbury by five farmers. Chief scientist of environmental information at Niwa, Jochen Schmidt, says an important part of the project is about getting feedback from farmers to help scientists understand how the product can best meet farmers’ needs.

The tool optimises irrigation for the trial farmers by emailing them daily with information about when it is best to irrigate, how much water to use, and how much water they have

available. It provides farmers with two, six, and 14-day forecasts.

The information allows farmers to plan water usage based on forecast conditions tailored for their farm.

Niwa will be providing a trial of a similar, webbased system to people at Fieldays. Those interested in trialling the system can sign up during Fieldays “for a small fee” which has not been finalised. Farmers will then be provided with 24/7 access to the tool.

“We know that a range of farming activities and operations are influenced by weather and we believe we can actually help the farmers save money, increase their economy, and also reduce environmental impact,” says Mr Schmidt.

Niwa will also be demonstrating another weather service, which they will utilise for their role as the official weather forecasting service for Fieldays.

They will also be providing forecasts for other events at Mystery Creek over the next three years. The service, called EcoConnect, is currently only used by commercial subscribers, but Niwa scientist Dr Murray Poulter says it could be available for farmers in the future.

Niwa has set up a weather station at Mystery Creek, which will feed live observations of current temperature, wind speed and direction, and rainfall to display screens across the complex and to Niwa’s Fieldays exhibition site.

“Once we’ve received six weeks of observational data from the weather station we will know the microclimate of the site, and that will help to provide a much more accurate two-day forecast,” Poulter says.

“Mystery Creek does sometimes have a reputation for producing mud, so we might be able to help people decide whether they bring

their raincoats and gumboots,” he says.

Niwa released the first official forecast for Fieldays last week, saying the weather looks promising for the big event. “There are no major rain-bearing weather systems on the horizon at this stage, and computer models suggest that generally dry conditions with light winds should prevail between the 12th and the 15th.

Niwa predict light rain on Friday morning, but says it should clear by the afternoon. Heavy rain is expected on Sunday after Fieldays.

“Maximum temperatures are likely to be around the 14 or 15 degree mark, which is right on average,” says Poulter.

He says the forecast could change and visitors are advised to keep an eye on Niwa’s weather feed on Fieldays website for the latest conditions.

Farmers will also have the opportunity to trial Niwa’s specialised weather forecasting services and see them in action at their Fieldays site, PF15.

“If you look in Europe at some of the best weather models there are, gradually over the years their predictions have got better and that is because they have used better computers, better models, and data simulation.

“We expect our results to reflect the same sort of benefits and the same sort of improvements that have happened overseas.”

By Kelsey Wilkie

13

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Rosie Show

By Ali Brady

Excerpt: The Rosie show is at Fieldays teaching children about dairy farming through songs, dancing and farming puns.

Caption: Rosie and the cast get the kids involved .Photograph by LeLi. ‘Udderly farmtastic show!’

T

hrills the children Bringing music, dancing and entertainment, The Rosie Show has arrived at Fieldays and the first show had an udderly farmtastic reception.

D

obby is a six-monthold Scottish Highland Calf looking to find a home this Fieldays.

Born in rural South Auckland, Dobby had a “rough start in life”.

Because of the drought his mother didn’t have enough milk to feed him and his growth was stunted.

Dobby also caught a case of fly strike, a condition usually found in sheep.

Catherine Atkinson from the New Zealand Highland Cattle Society says that while Dobby is much better now, fly strike is really bad for any cow.

“Fly strike is a sheep thing but cows can get it too, blowflies eat at the flesh and lay maggots, and it’s really just horrible,” Atkinson said.

Ginni Alexander also from the New Zealand Highland Cattle Society said that although he’s just a little calf, Dobby loves attention and is

14

The travelling show is based around Rosie the dairy cow and aims to teach children about dairy farming.

The story has Farmer Tom’s townie nephew Matt arrive from Auckland and learn about how milk gets from farm to the fridge.

The cast of four had the children laughing, mooing and

counting out units of milk.

Long-time dairy farmer Gary Bucland (SPELL) brought his children Crystal, Aaron and Charlotte to watch the show.

“I think they had some really good points in it,” he said.

Although the children are too young to help out on the farm, they have been

down to the milking shed with their dad so they enjoyed seeing it in the show.

“It was good, I liked it,” said Aaron.

Tour manager and director Andrew Kaye says “the kids love it, and they really like joining in.”

The cast who do 130

performances of the show are at Fieldays all four days, doing two shows a day at 10am and 2pm.

“This is an abridged version with all the best bits, it’s only twenty minutes because we know people are busy at Fieldays. It’s normally 32 minutes,” Kaye said.

“just a darling.”

“The ideal home for Dobby would be somewhere with shady trees, a nice paddock and a nice loving family who will give him the grooming that he loves,” Alexander said.

Scottish Highland Cows can also be referred to as “Fluffy cows” according to Atkinson.

“People buy them for all sorts of things. A lot of people will buy them for shows, some will keep them for pets and some will buy them to eat,” Atkinson said.

The Highland Cattle Society travelled to Fieldays from Auckland with a pack of five cows.

Agnes is their oldest and “most relaxed” cow and spent a lot of her 13 years in show.

“She used to go to shows all the time and won.

That’s why she’s so quiet, she’s happy to just stand there and hang out,” Atkinson said.

All cows will go home on Thursday night and by then hopefully Dobby

will be a free calf with a paddock of his own.

FluffyCow

“The ideal home for Dobby would be somewhere with shady trees, a nice paddock and a nice loving family who will give him the grooming that he loves,”

By Ali Brady

Caption: HOME WANTED: Victoria, Millie and Benny Miers give Dobby some love and attention. Photo: Mengchen

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Marcelo international

C

anada, or New Zealand?

The toss of a coin decided the destination of a Chilean agronomist’s holiday break.

On a Wednesday, Marcelo Mieres flipped the loose change and set his sights on New Zealand. He had a sixmonth contract with Ohaupo business Blueberry Country

by Friday.

“On Monday I quit my job and, three weeks later, I was working here in Ohaupo,” he says. “After a few months here, [I thought] ‘well, this is fantastic. I need to be here.’”

That was in 2004. A few years of New Zealand business exp¬¬¬erience and tertiary study later, he came back to where he started in Godzone, this time as international business executive for the NZ Agribusiness Centre.

Autumn is the busiest time of the year because he is heavily involved with Fieldays - the Southern Hemisphere’s largest agricultural event. Over the four days of the 45th year of Fieldays, more than 1000 exhibitors will promote their products and services to in excess of 120,000 visitors, and the premier feature will focus on getting down to business in the global economy.

With his international background and love for his new home, Mieres is the right man to help.

In almost 10 years here, he has fallen head over heels for New Zealand. Even when he first arrived, the striking similarities to south Chilean landscapes made him feel at home.

“The only difference was

people driving on the wrong side of the road.”

Working for businesses around the Ohaupo area gave him a chance to adjust to the unique Kiwi accent, and learn few other local quirks. During his time with a hydroponic tomato grower he was the only foreigner in the place, and he jokes that he had to adapt or die. Were there some unexpected cultural differences?

“Learning how to eat pies, open these little tomato sauce containers that you need to squeeze, but nobody told me.”

But an exploding sauce sachet didn’t take the shine off New Zealand for this self-professed fan. He takes visitors to have fish and chips out of a paper bag at Raglan, and claims to love everything about our country – except Marmite.

Knowing New Zealand yet having a South American background means Mieres is in a good position to observe our business culture. Little things can make a big difference, and he says researching the person, place, and country is essential.

“Sometimes New Zealand is a little bit too relaxed on that part.”

Kiwis are also extremely trusting, and used to a style of service which they may not get in other countries.

“I remember having very, very stressful arguments with local suppliers [in Chile] just to get things done. And here you’re never going to have that type of issue.

You’re never going to yell to someone to get things done. But over there, that happens. You need

to understand how things work.”

Trust needs to be earned, and Kiwis’ tendency to come in and lay out terms up front can be seen by South Americans as very direct.

“Sometimes - a lot of times actually - you need to go out with that person to have a drink, have a coffee, have a conversation. It’s more than just plain business. You are creating a relationship with somebody for business. And like in any relationship, if you think that it doesn’t feel quite right, it’s not going to go right.”

Developing international relationships is a hot topic for the agricultural community, and this year’s Fieldays focus. Mystery Creek events manager Vanessa Richmond says global business was a clear winner at the theme brainstorming session. “We are held up around the world as being the leader in farming and agriculture. So it’s important for us to get our innovations, and our products and services out there.”

Mieres says the whole world is facing the same challenges in doing that. “Everybody’s looking to the same markets, the emerging markets.”

Sealing the deal requires building strong relationships, and detailed knowledge of the target country’s culture, whether it’s China or Chile, India or Russia.

Some might see navigating a range of business cultures as a minefield, but Mieres enjoys it. He has lived and studied in Chile, and the US, is fluent in Spanish and English, and understands Portuguese and Italian.

But he isn’t stopping there.

He researches any unfamiliar culture before dealing with a person from it.

“You need to know everything you can about the person that’s going to be in front of you,” says Mieres, “because they know everything about you.”

He feels being able to greet a person in their own language opens doors, so he has learnt basic Russian to use with visitors from milk filter company Gera Ltd. Gera’s export manager Marina Samoylova says the company is looking forward to showcasing its milkrefining filters at Fieldays.

New Zealand is a desirable destination thanks to its sixth placing on the list of milk-producing nations, and the company hopes to find distribution partners.

Also coming from afar is a US-sponsored group of Afghani company owners and senior executives of agricultural businesses, who aim to make global links to develop their economy.

As well as checking out exhibits, the delegation will meet groups like Federated Farmers, and participate in an agricultural tour.

And what keeps bringing in foreign visitors?

Mieres says it is New Zealand’s reputation for developing technology to solve problems in a simple yet effective way.

And PGG Wrightson Seeds General Manager International Damian Lynch says farmers in New Zealand are good at using new ideas.

“If you can demonstrate the technology has value, it gets taken up very quickly.”

Mieres agrees, saying firms like Gallagher, Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) and other companies have forged a reputation for New Zealand’s farming technology in areas like the United States, Europe, and South America.

“Now, more than ever, [New Zealand] has

become more relevant,” says Mieres. “Everybody wants to try to get part of the technology being developed in New Zealand, has been used here for years, to be able to increase their production at a low cost.

“That is the purpose, basically, of Fieldays: to showcase internationally what we have to offer – not just locally – and also the purpose of the New Zealand Agribusiness Centre: to help those countries that want to go to international markets.”

Mieres still fondly recalls volunteering as an interpreter in the International Business Centre at Fieldays soon after completing his study at the University of Waikato.

“It was, and it still is, an amazing place for me,” he says. “I did the circle.

Now I’m in charge of the place where I started, so it’s fantastic.”

By Caitlin Wallace

15

FIELDAYS

EXHIBITOR

Fieldays - Great Indoors Fieldays - Great Indoors Opinion

By Kingsley Field.

There were hundreds of them, and they stood at the high wire gates peering through with the patient resignation of a mob of sheep – waiting until the clock agonisingly ticked round to exactly 8am.

Then the gates to the 45th annual National Fieldays at Mystery Creek were heaved open and a great surge of humanity poured into the 40ha event, already crammed with more than 1200 sites and thousands of expectant sales reps.

Happily, as they did, a solid Waikato fog, which had settled over the grounds an hour earlier, rapidly began to dissipate.

It was gone within 45

minutes, leaving the air crisp and cold, but with a fine clear day overhead.

In most instances visitors were clad to cope with the weather and the outdoor conditions.

Children especially were heavily shrouded in thick beanies and multiple layers of brightly-coloured fleeces, perhaps not just to combat the cold but also to make for rapid and easy identification should a little one wander away while parents were preoccupied with some particularly interesting display. The youngsters also had heavy leggings, and seemed happy to plod stoically along in clumpy little gumboots.

Other, tougher, older visitors wore considerably less – I saw one young man clad in a pair of skimpy

synthetic shorts, a meagre T-shirt and a pair of flimsy jandals. He seemed totally unaware of the chill around him, laughing and chatting to a couple of friends as they powered down the nearest avenue of interest.

But most people had come prepared: quilted jackets, a vast range of hats, scarves, gloves sometimes, long trousers tucked into heavy wool socks and the socks themselves disappearing into solid leather boots or short gumboots.

The footwear at Fieldays is always worthy of close scrutiny – more than any other item of apparel it is the most diverse.

Many people, obviously farmers or at least landbased in some way, have stepped straight into the footwear they wear every day in their work

– worn, battered, grubby gumboots or pull-on steel-cap leather boots.

Then there’s the almost limitless array of sneakers, some of them almost falling to pieces and held together largely by long-time association with those particular feet, and others almost brand new and with owners loath to step anywhere near a possible mud-puddle.

Maybe one in 50 wore a pair of properly polished street shoes, although many women chose to wear calf- or knee-length boots – great for a day like yesterday when the sun shone and murky footpaths were nonexistent.

In earlier days, Fieldays’ roadways were not always easy to negotiate when the weather was manky, and avenues of sodden sludge saw the

Contributors PHOTOGRAPHERS Lauren Bovaird, Michelle Corbett, Robbie Gilmore, Grace Hodge, Naomi Johnston, Nicola Kosovich, Le Li, Megan Lucas, Rose-Anna McGillivray, Ashleigh Muir, Gabrielle Oliver, Hannah Pedersen, Grant Quist, Craig Richmond, Luke Smeith, Chloe Taylor, Rickki Turnwald, Denise Van Dam, Mengchen Wang, Cheryl Ward, Rebecca Watson, Evan Xiao

REPORTERS

Ali Brady, Ria Elkington, Reese Flaxman, Sophie Iremonger, Sacha Harwood, Olivia Johnston, Candice Jones, Jade Laan, Sharn Roberts, Matthew Robinson, Corey Rosser, Gemma Stanbridge, Izzy Stern, Taylor Sincock, Caitlin Wallace, Ciaran Warner, Kelsey Wilkie, Libby Wilson, Melissa Wishart

DESIGNERS

Lily Dodds, Naiada Hika, Clare Mansfield, Rick Komene

BACK-UP

Georgie Gaddum, Mark Liu, Dudley Neal, Simon Nicholls, Geoff Ridder, Charles Riddle, Jeremy Smith, Richard Walker, Stefanie Young

Sponsors We would like to thank our sponsors Vodafone, Print House Ltd, Farmside, and Modcom Portable Buildings Ltd for their support.

Fieldays Exhibitor is created by Wintec students and distributed to exhibitors at Fieldays. The Exhibitor has published since 2004 and has been recognised by the NZ National Fieldays Society for its outstanding contribution to the success of Fieldays.

If you would like to contact the team at the Exhibitor with feedback, story suggestions, or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, please email: Georgie.Gaddum@wintec.ac.nz or call in at site F30.

DISCLAIMER: This is a student project. Views expressed and visuals presented in these projects are those of students ONLY. The School of Media Arts and Wintec are not responsible for any of the views or content in this project.

16

destruction of many a pair of beautiful shoes.

Now, though, most of the main thoroughfares are sealed streets with narry a puddle in sight.

After 45 years the site, the event and its visitors have all grown hugely, and rightly the National Fieldays can lay claim to being the best such show of its type south of the equator.