Fieldays Focus 2018 by NZME.

Fieldays Programme

FOCUS 2018

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Welcome to 2018

It is my privilege to welcome you all to Fieldays 2018, our 50th event!

We can only salute the many hard-working people for their forward thinking and foresight in bringing the idea of Fieldays together in 1969 at the Te Rapa racecourse in Hamilton. As they say, from small acorns, grow large trees; our tree is Fieldays, which encompasses many facets of our great agricultural sector. Fieldays has developed into what is now a truly international event, which we and New Zealand can be very proud of. This year, like many before, we will stage our world class event showcasing the best of technology and innovation and will welcome many international visitors from all corners of the globe. For some of our visitors and exhibitors this will also be the 50th event they have attended, and we extend a special welcome to those many loyal people who have made the annual trip to Mystery Creek in the Waikato their annual pilgrimage. They, like many others, see the immense value in attending this event. We are proud to be once again staging the Health and Wellbeing Hub along with the Careers and Education Hub. These two areas are relatively new to Fieldays and from their inaugural openings have proved popular by the thousands that have visited. The health of our people within the industry and our communities remains a key focus. Regardless of the communication and information ﬂows being improved through high speed broadband, we must continually remind ourselves

the importance of health, wellbeing and supporting one another. The world we live in today is not easy and the more we can encourage each other to talk, share ideas and just support each other the better we will all be. Fieldays also creates the opportunity for all of us to network and spend time together, whether it is with family and friends, the many support agencies exhibiting or even your friendly sales representative, this event is all about networking and spending time together. Attracting key talent is important for our industry to maintain growth and to enable New Zealand to remain on the world stage. Whether your interest is in technology, research, developing an idea, sales or the many other various roles the sector offers, it needs good people with forward thinking and new ideas. Our farmers today take great pride in feeding the world, and while we all acknowledge that it is impossible for our little piece of paradise to factually feed the world population, our various sectors are working hard to supply quality food and protein to the many countries that are continually searching for quality and naturally and environmentally grown honest food. At Fieldays 2018 we have placed great emphasis on food, creating a very focused and devoted space near the pavilion, the Fieldays Kitchen Theatre. Visitors will be educated on where food comes from, understanding that ‘we are what we eat’ and learning about the

many health properties well-grown and healthy food offers us in todays world. We welcome world class and nationally acclaimed chefs. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the many people that have unconditionally supported Fieldays to make it what it is today. To the hundreds of thousands of visitors who walk through our gates annually, and the thousands of exhibitors who invest thousands of hours and millions of dollars both jointly and severely, thank you. To the many loyal and supportive sponsors of Fieldays and our organisation, we are indebted to you for your unwavering and ongoing support. To the hundreds of volunteers and support services that help us stage this world class event, we salute you for your time, expertise and ongoing friendships. Lastly, to the pioneers that started it all, we can only admire and thank you so much for creating Fieldays, recognised around the world as an event that places New Zealand ﬁrmly where it belongs in the agricultural sector – a world leader. I warmly welcome you all to our 50th Fieldays event and wish you a pleasant and prosperous four days.

Peter Nation New Zealand National Fieldays Society Chief Executive

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Back to the future – 50 years of Fieldays By Peter Nation, CEO of New Zealand National Fieldays Society The New Zealand Agricultural Fieldays is a significant event for our country. Over the past five decades, the event has been a drawcard to both urPeter Nation ban and rural visitors. Its growth in popularity – from 10,000 visitors in 1969, to more than 130,000 last year, reflects its value as the southern hemisphere’s largest agricultural event. This year’s theme for Fieldays is the future of farming, with visitors and exhibitors being encouraged to start discussions around what that means to them. For me, we look to the future by understanding where we have come from. Farming has changed in the past 50 years. Changes in technology, regulatory requirements and consumer demands have led the way. Fieldays reflects that evolution, and continues to be on the cutting edge of change in agribusiness. Fieldays was founded 50 years ago by the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, with the objective of advancing the primary industry. In 1969, the first New Zealand Agricultural Fieldays – the Town and Country Fair, as it was known then – was held at Hamilton’s Te Rapa Racecourse, before moving to its current location at Mystery Creek in 1971. I was eight years old and living on my parents’ farm at Rangitikei in 1969. New Zealand was still developing its hill country farms then, developing its flat

land and embracing new technology, such as electric fencing. Farming was still being subsidised for development back then. We have come a long way in such short time. That first Fieldays event focused on aerial top dressing, and fixed-wing planes were on display. Sheep and beef farming was more prevalent than today. Farmers were still focused on breaking in the land, and the first Fieldays showcased equipment for developing farms including ploughs, power harrows and rotary hoes. In the late 1960s many Kiwis – even those in the cities – knew someone living on a farm, spent time in the holidays on a farm or had a relative who was a farmer. Since then, we’ve seen a shift. Some say there is an urban-rural divide in New Zealand, and for many younger Kiwis that is certainly true. For some people living in urban centres, visiting a working dairy farm, petting a cow or sheep or being in a milking shed would be a new experience. In 1968 the population of New Zealand was almost 2.8 million people. Around the time of the first Fieldays, the 1966 Census recorded that 20.7 per cent of the New Zealand population lived in rural areas, and 79.3 per cent lived in an urban area. Contrast that with today. The population isn’t far off 5 million people. The urban population has grown, and the rural population has decreased – the 2013 Census found that 86.2 per cent of the population were living in an urban area (and 13.8 per cent living rurally). One of the Society’s aims is to bring

town and country together, and I think Fieldays does that well, giving urban people the opportunity to learn about rural life and where their food comes from. Other things have changed too. Over the years, farming in New Zealand has moved away from sheep and beef farming, to a focus on dairy. We’ve seen the importation of new grain varieties, and the growth of industries such as kiwifruit and viticulture. Land use has changed, with more forestry. Dairy farming in New Zealand has evolved, with the number of small-herd family farms decreasing while the number of large-herd and corporate farms have increased, particularly in recent decades. In 1969 there were 2.3 million milking cows, and today there are around 4.8 million. In the 1975/76 season there was

“One of the Society’s aims is to bring town and country together, and I think Fieldays does that well, giving urban people the opportunity to learn about rural life” an average of 113 cows per herd, and by 2016/17 the average herd was 414 cows. While the number of cows have increased, the number of herds in New Zealand have decreased – there were 18,442 herds in 1975/76, but 11,748 in 2016/17. With change, come questions and the opportunity to educate. At Fieldays, our philosophy is to part of the conversation about the changing nature of farming, and to open people’s eyes to the hard work, innovation and sustainable practices happening in modern farming. Fieldays is a place for bringing together urban and rural communities. Over the

past 50 years, generations of townies have pulled on gumboots and walked through the streets at Mystery Creek, learning more about farming and rural practices during their visit. One thing we’re aware of is the power of the consumer in leading change, and the importance of telling positive stories around our primary industry food production. We know that people are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from, and what is in it. They want to know if their food is organic, is their meat pasture-fed or grain-fed? Are there hormones in their beef, or have chemicals been sprayed on their vegetables? There is confusion about what to eat – is butter good for you or not? What is the journey of our food, from paddock to plate? Farmers in New Zealand have a great story to tell, and Fieldays is a good place to lead that discussion. What is the future of food, and its impact on our primary industries? New Zealand cuisine is no longer ‘meat and two vege’ – the dinner staple when I was young. There is so much more choice with our food options today, and our farmers work hard to deliver that choice to consumers. Our Fieldays Kitchen Theatre showcases the evolution of Kiwi cuisine, with some of the country’s best chefs cooking and talking about food to the crowds. We are really proud to support innovation at Fieldays – it’s one of our founding pillars. In 50 years’ time, what kinds of innovations we will see at Fieldays? What will food look like? What machinery, technology and innovations will there be to support agriculture and the primary industry? Fieldays is proud to be a place where the future of farming is showcased, discussed and most importantly, imagined. We look forward to the next 50 years, and what it holds for New Zealand agriculture. Sources: Statistics New Zealand; DairyNZ, Lincoln University

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Good to great Farmlands Chief Executive Peter Reidie

The future of farming is a source of passion for me and the source of continuing a legacy for our co-operative. Like Fieldays, Farmlands has evolved and grown over the decades to reflect the ever-changing needs of our primary sector. Farming is the backbone of our economy and a cornerstone of our country’s history. Events like Fieldays allow New Zealand agriculture to continue as the envy of the world. New Zealand agriculture is facing some very interesting times. We need to be ambitious if we’re to win. The reality is the model that has been the instrument behind our success over the last 100 years cannot drive our success into the future. We can’t win on the most efficient

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farming model in the world. China, USA and Australia alone each have around 40 times the land mass in agriculture. Other countries are prepared to have lesser standards when it comes to such things as factory farming, GMOs, people practices and impact on the environment. That means we can’t win on scale and low cost – and, in addition to that, the world is changing. What consumers want is becoming more demanding. We have to be aware of and manage the consequences of what we are doing on the earth. The role of technology is growing exponentially and the role and expectation of food is being redefined. All of these combine to drive us to a need to reset our success model. In my view, it’s fundamentally about producing less that is worth more. The example that brings it home to me is New Zealand wine in China. New Zealand wine is an amazing international success story with us now being generally accepted as the best producers of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir in the world. But we haven’t cracked it in China. Generally, China takes about one 5th of all our exports and this is very consistent across all of our sectors. The exception is wine. In the case of wine China only takes one 50th of New Zealand’s wine exports. Why is this? Because in China there are two types of wine purchased: what we would call “plonk” – very cheap and generic – and the best. The best in the perception of the Chinese is wine from France. Serving French wine is the way to

make an impression in China. You don’t want to be stuck in the middle, because then you are neither one thing nor the other – hence why only 2% of our wine exports are going to China. This sums up the opportunity for the food we produce. We can seek to provide “plonk”, which is a losing strategy because others have scale and practices that will mean they can produce plonk more effectively than us. Or we can seek to become the “French Wine” of food, or as I have heard one farmer put it – become the premium delicatessen to the world. Produce less that is worth more. New Zealand can only produce for 30 to 40 million people. Half of a percent of the world’s population. If we target the fussiest half a percent, this is what they are asking: 1. Where is my food from? 2. What has gone into my food? 3. Is my food good for me? New Zealand is incredibly well placed to own the critical answers to these questions. My food is from New Zealand, therefore nothing bad has gone into my food, therefore my food must be good for me and because of that I am prepared to pay more for my food from New Zealand. This strategy is not only sound, we are very well placed to deliver on it. The reality is most New Zealand landowners look after their land, animals and people very well. We have to modify the behaviours of those who don’t, ensure

those who do keep doing it and provide the means to prove it to those fussy consumers of the world. Technology will have a huge part to play in this. When I am talking to farmers about the change we need to make, I say to be aware of what the consumer is asking. Not the Government, not the regulator, not the manufacturer but the consumer – the person who eats our food. The reality is the consumer is not going to accept

“New Zealand agriculture is facing some very interesting times. We need to be ambitious if we’re to win.” dirty rivers or overuse of sulphates or bad animal practices. By meeting the demands of the consumer, we can deliver on this strategy for a prosperous primary sector for New Zealand. We need to understand who is doing it best and how we can make that consistent across our sector. We need developers and initiators of great products and ideas. We need challenge and forward thinking and we need the “can do, must do and will do” of the next generation. We are in a good place – the challenge is to move from “Good to Great”.

One car per second For nearly 50 years, Fieldays has been made possible by the valued time and effort of an army of volunteers.

The scale of the monster event relies on it running like a well-oiled machine and this is never more apparent than in the car park, where up to 15,000 cars and buses are parked each day. During peak hours, the team can be parking 13 layers of cars at once – which works out to one car per second! Fieldays volunteers are split into three teams – guest services, operations and logistics, and competitions and demonstrations. These teams are then split into smaller groups to cover the different aspects of the event. Volunteers in the operations and logistics team are involved in jobs such as delivering and picking up parcels from exhibitors, and driving VIPs, staff and other volunteers around the large site. They’re also responsible for site water and maintenance, emergency first response, traffic management and parking. Jason Hoyle is a dairy farmer who, with his wife, contract milks 650 cows a day and

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also manages to find time to volunteer at Fieldays. He’s been involved in carparking for several years and was drawn to the area by the camaraderie and commitment of the team. “And,” he says, “as a young person, I learnt very quickly that it’s a position that earns respect, because a lot of the wise old people have done it before and they really respect you for stepping up and having a good crack at it.” It’s a long day for the parking team – they’re on the ground from 4am until often after 8pm and Hoyle says the hours mean it’s important that those in the team look after one another. “You become a very special team because you have to back each other up for many reasons. A unique thing about the parking team is that accommodation is supplied on site, and being able to stay together brings the team really close.” The camaraderie is also important because the parking team is inevitably

somewhat disconnected from the rest of the site. “The guys in the parking team will see most of Fieldays in the dark,” says Hoyle. “Either at 5am when they’re going through site, or at 7pm when they’re going through for dinner. Every other minute they get spare, they’ll be catching their breath and trying to unwind. We appreciate the respect we get from the volunteer hub when we do go inside the gate, but when you’ve been involved in chaos for so many hours in a row it’s actually quite nice to just find a tree and relax and enjoy this beautiful show that’s going on.” Rescuing stuck vehicles is something

the team deals with on a daily basis. “A downpour of rain at the wrong time of day can cause a few problems,” says Hoyle. “We have about six guys on four-wheelers and another 12 vehicles floating around and they’re just pulling vehicles out non-stop. We use tow ropes for cars and tractors for buses.” Hoyle says the vast majority of people really appreciate the help. “They shake your hand and we have a bit of a yarn and off they go.” Fieldays is always looking for more helpers. If you’re interested in volunteering, register your interest at www.nznfs. co.nz/volunteers-members

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Fieldays health and wellbeing The Health Hub is a “one stop shop” of health and wellbeing displays and demonstrations. Health organisations were previously scattered around the event, diluting their impact, so last year the New Zealand National Fieldays Society partnered with Mobile Health to pilot the Health Hub. “Having all the health organisations working together under one roof worked brilliantly,” says Andrew Panckhurst, Mobile Health’s marketing manager. He says drawing attention to rural health is vital because people living in rural and remote areas are often disadvantaged in accessing health services and more likely to delay seeking advice or treatment. “It’s important that we encourage the rural community to think about and act on improving their health and wellbeing. The Fieldays Health and Wellbeing Hub is an ideal opportunity to do this.”

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Mobile Health delivers low-risk elective day surgery to rural New Zealanders using a modern, fully-equipped mobile operating theatre. “In addition to providing easily accessible surgical services, we provide quality continuing education to rural health professionals,” says Panckhurst. “Strong community partnerships are the key to success so rather than replacing existing health services, we act as a catalyst for communities and rural health professionals to develop better rural health systems.” Last year, in addition to co-ordinating

the Hub, Mobile Health had the mobile operating theatre on display for the public. While it won’t be at Fieldays this year as it is on the road operating at Kaikohe and Dargaville, Panckhurst says “It’s very important that we continue to co-ordinate the Hub. We have the best interests of rural health at heart and have extensive networks throughout health organisations, so we bring the two together.” There will be lots to experience in the Hub this year. Every one of the 24 organisations involved will have inter-

active and informative areas and along with many other demonstrations, visitors will be able to see CPR performed on an advanced simulator with the critical care team, observe skin damage and the effect of sunscreen with a UV camera at Melanoma NZ and be able to visit the Breast Cancer Foundation pink caravan. The very real challenges of rural mental health will be addressed by the Barter Barber and other organisations such as the Waikato DHB mental health team, the Rural Support Trust, and Rural Health Aotearoa New Zealand.

Barber’s stand for mental health

HEALTH HUB EXHIBITORS IN 2018 • The Barter Barber • Mobile Health • Rural Health Aotearoa New Zealand (RHAANZ) Youth Mental Health • Rural Health Aotearoa New Zealand (RHAANZ) Health Choices Token Challenge • Bayer New Zealand Limited • Rural Aotearoa Research Network • Dalton international • New Zealand Rural General Practice Network • Lung Foundation • Rural Women

• Age Concern • Rural Midwives • Waikato DHB – Critical Care, Mental Health & Youth Intact • Melanoma New Zealand • Look Good Feel Better • Rural Support Trust • Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand • Breast Cancer Foundation NZ • Bay Audiology • Aspire Chiropractic • FirstCheck • Mole Map NZ Ltd

Sam Dowdall, aka the Barter Barber, will be at the Health Hub with a team of barbers, cutting hair and “talking about talking”. His mission is to help rural men open up about mental health and suicide, having started his barbering project after four of his friends took their own lives in three years. He’s travelling around New Zealand with a mobile barber shop, visiting every town and city to talk about mental health for men while trading barbering for goods and services. “I had tried helping friends get help and was shocked at how hard it is and how long the waiting lists are. So I thought it was my responsibility as a man and a barber to use the tools I have to try get to the bottom of this!” Dowdall thinks rural guys in New Zealand are far too often overlooked when it comes to having conversations. “I want to learn from these guys, hear their stories and find out better and more accessible ways to talk about mental health in rural communities.” He thinks rural men struggle in New Zealand because of the perfect storm of isolation, doing it hard on money with big repayments, alcohol and a

‘harden up’ mentality. “If you feel like you can’t talk to anyone about where you’re at in your head or even your wallet, it can become hugely unforgiving on your mental health.” Dowdall says the barbershop has historically been a place for men to talk. “It’s a space without judgement, where you’re forced to physically reflect in the mirror in front of you. It’s also a place where you have your appearance changed, and that’s in the hands of the barber. So there’s a very special trust there, which aids communication.” People can sign the Barter Barber’s address book at Fieldays for a visit from the Barter Barber Caravan at their farm or club.

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It’s a golden anniversary for Fieldays this June, as the largest agriculture event in the Southern Hemisphere celebrates its 50th year showcasing the very best in farming.

As the cornerstone event of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society (NZNFS), Fieldays stays true to its original purpose of advancing agriculture through innovation, education technology and internationalism. While it may be a Kiwi institution today however, its beginnings were comparatively humble, and started with one man’s dream. In 1968 Nuffield scholar, John Kneebone, wrote to the Waikato Times promoting the idea of a town and country show for farmers, where they could meet and check out products, services and innovations in farm machinery. From there, the Society was created to turn his dream into reality. A group of Waikato men, all volunteers, pulled together a two-day experimental ‘farm festival’ back in 1969 at Te Rapa Racecourse. The event went gangbusters

and was soon extended to include Saturday, or ‘Townies day’. The initial target was to welcome 5,000 visitors through the gate, but the headcount was closer to 10,000. “It exceeded all expectations with thousands of farmers streaming into the event with the ticket collectors unable to cope,” remembers society life member and past president Russ Rimmington. “People jumped the wire fences – cars were banked up down to Ulster Street.” “We then knew we had the tiger by the tail! Although it was winter, we were blessed with bright blue cloudless skies – a great omen for the next 50 years.” The Town and Country Fair, as it was known then, has since become the tenth largest event of its kind in the world, and has hosted many prominent visitors including the Queen and Duke of Edin-

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“While it may be a Kiwi institution today however, its beginnings were comparatively humble, and started with one man’s dream” burgh, who attended twice, past Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, as well as every New Zealand governor general and prime minister. Nowadays more than 130,000 visitors flock to the four-day event. Last year included those from over 40 countries, who mixed and mingled with 988 exhibitors across 1473 sites – nine from internation-

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al exhibitors – and helped earn almost $540 million in sales revenue. Unsurprisingly, for the anniversary event, there have been an unprecedented number of agricultural businesses looking to make an appearance. These businesses will be joining a significant number of companies and organisations that have supported Fieldays from day one. “Exhibitors love Fieldays because it’s the highest sales they record all year,” says Russ. “Many financial advisors reckon some small businesses should shut up shop the rest of the year. Farmers love Fieldays’ specials, and meeting their mates – it becomes the eagerly awaited ‘farmers’ day out’. “Wet days are often the best business days when genuine buyers are flushed out,” he continues. “Exhibitors reported this trend 50 years ago, and it still applies today.”

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The event’s objectives also still apply – resisting “side shows, gypsy traders and general household goods for sale” to maintain a pure trade agricultural show, Fieldays continues to move with the times and has a keen focus on innovation. Sustainable practices are top of mind; last year almost half of all waste was recycled and reused, and local traffic was reduced by an estimated 5,000 cars when 11,000 people travelled to the event by public transport. Recognising an industry need, the Health and Wellbeing, and Career & Education hubs were additions that have already provided invaluable information in a flourishing and transformative sector. Arguably the greatest key to the event’s ongoing success however, is the practical skills and can-do attitude of its loyal volunteers, many of whom are still involved

today. From setting up the racecourse for the inaugural event, to the great effort required to develop the 114-hectares at its current location at Mystery Creek, the dedication among volunteers had its own momentum. The new site, purchased in 1970, was a run-down dairy farm and a blank slate before volunteers pitched in to create everything from an entrance gate with a borrowed bulldozer, to clearing a swamp and laying drainage. The event’s immediate success meant it quickly outgrew the racecourse site so the new venue’s opening in 1971 was just the ticket. Volunteers continue to keep Fieldays running smoothly, from hosting, parking, and attending information booths to driving courier vehicles, site service, tractor pull and event set-up and breakdown. Last year over 230 volunteers generously gave their time to help make it a resounding success.

This year will be no different, and with its 50-year milestone theme – the Future of Farming – the 2018 Fieldays is tipped to be the biggest and best yet. In fact, a committee of past NZNFS presidents and members are helping pull the celebrations together including extra events, a local museum exhibition and a history book. So why not don your Swanny, singlet and Red Bands to enjoy a day in the field and discover the backbone of our economy?

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Rural catch Who says fixing fences and driving tractors is men’s work? We sure don’t. After scouring New Zealand we have found four of the most eligible rural men and now for the first time in the history of this annual event, four eligible rural women too.

The four men and four women will be embarking on whirlwind all expenses paid week leading up to Fieldays, as they vie for the title of Rural Catch of the Year and compete for a prize pool of over $20,000. Fieldays Major Event Manager Lee Picken says there are women all over the country working in the rural sector and it’s about time the competition caught up. “In the past we’ve had women coming along to support the men but that’s just so outdated. They can do the work just like men so now they can compete just like men,” said Picken. The changes to the competition recognise the role both men and women play in the agriculture industry and support for the new format has been huge. Finalists will compete in daily challenges designed to test their skills both on

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and off the farm. Between challenges the finalists will attend rural functions and activities, traditionally finalists would spend time with a group of rural women known

The Competition The winner will walk away with an impressive prize pool worth over $20,000 thanks to our sponsors, as well as the coveted ‘Golden Gumboot’ trophy. The competition begins on Sunday 10 June 2018 with the Farmlands Road Trip, giving finalists the chance to get to know each other and try their hand at some challenges and activities before the serious stuff begins on Wednesday 13 June. Right: 2017 winner Matthew McAtamney

as the Gumboot Girls, but that’s all about to change. Last year’s winner Matthew McAtamney says the changes will bring a new element to the competition and will make great entertainment. “There are heaps of really talented people working in the industry and I think this year’s finalists will be putting it all on the line to show New Zealand what they’ve got,” said McAtamney. The format of the competition will remain the same and there won’t be any gender specific competition or titles, however the name Fieldays Rural Bachelor won’t cut it anymore. “This competition is about celebrating

the talented men and women working in the agricultural industry and giving them the opportunity to take a break and meet some new people. “It’s a search to find the ultimate rural catch so this year’s finalists will be competing for the title of Fieldays Rural Catch of the Year.” Not only are the finalists a catch for any potential love interest but their rural skills and knowledge of agricultural business makes them a catch for any employer, business partner and the wider industry. Partnered with Farmlands Co-operative, the competition is exclusively for singles but Picken says you won’t find any rose ceremonies here.

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Careers and Education Hub Providing career opportunities in the agricultural sector. The purpose of the Careers and Education Hub is to facilitate interaction between those wanting to find out more about a career in agriculture with providers of established agribusiness and education programmes. Skills shortages in the rural sector mean there are great career opportunities on offer and the Careers and Education Hub is a great one-stop shop for students who are keen to learn more. Even better, this year’s Hub offers a fun and interactive zone. It’s an environment that allows students to visualise

themselves in the primary sector, offering information on amazing op pportunities and avenues for agricultural suc ccess, while providing opportunities for invaluable one-on-one time with indus stry leaders. Exhibitors like Hill Labora atories,

Massey University, Fonterra Farm Source and Balance Agri- Nutrients – will leave students inspired and motivated after interacting with our e-learning trail to assist the career journey within the hub. Interactive and collaborative, the programme is designed to be educational and appealing to a range of secondary school levels. Schools from all over the North Island – including Napier, Waiheke, Auckland, Hamilton, Taupo, Thames and Tauranga – have registered to attend. Additionally exhibitors will be showcasing leadership and award scholarship opportunities in the rural sector.

The hub is a must-attend for anyone who has ever entertained thoughts about working in this booming sector. Make sure to stop by the Careers and Education Hub and speak with career champions, take partt in the e-learning trail and view videos, participate in interactive exhibits or justt chill out with friends while you enjoy the frree Wi-Fi.

fieldays.co.nz

Keeping you connected The agricultural sector is critical to the New Zealand economy, not solely because of our considerable exports, also because of the network of small businesses who support, or are supported by our nation’s farmers. We’re proud to support the diverse network of small businesses who make up New Zealand’s Agri Economy. Whether it’s a family like the O’Briens who produce organic honey on their land in Raglan, leading Agri accounts and Advisors Diprose Miller or heavy metal fabricators Made in Metal, the relationships which exist between these businesses are reliant on a healthy and confident agri sector.

At Xero, we understand that there is a continual need for increased openness and connections between all of these small businesses in order to foster productivity and innovation. This is why we provide an open, cloudbased platform which connects all the key players. Through our partnership with Figured, we enable farmers, accountants and bankers to connect and manage their business – allowing them

to operate best practice when it comes to farm management. It’s not just the farmers though, our effortless management system enables all small businesses to do things like set invoice reminders, look at cash flow insights and file GST returns with the click of a button. It doesn’t matter whether you are shearing the sheep, or building the engine parts – our mission is to enable you to do the things you love, without

the traditional pressures of managing the financial health of your business. We’re thrilled to be a part of this incredible event, and to share with you our solution for the best farm management practice. Make sure you check out our stand in the Mystery Creek Pavilion, if you want to hear more about how Xero can help you to gain better insight into your business and keep you connected.

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Fieldays fencing By Raewyn Court.

Fencing Competitions have been fiercely fought since the early days of Fieldays and have seen generations of families contest the title through the years. Always a must-see, the prestigious Golden Pliers® Singles Championship by WIREMARK® will be especially exciting this year due to the family rivalry between current champion Shane Bouskill and his son Tony, who won’t let his father retire until he beats him! The competitions are organised and run by New Zealand Fencing Competitions (NZFC), who also run regional and local competitions around the country. NZFC marketing and competition co-ordinator Debbie White says qualifying heats are held on the Monday before Fieldays opens. “In the Singles heat, the top eight finalists qualify for the Golden Pliers final. The next six finalists who have never competed in a Golden Pliers final qualify for the Bill Schuler Competition final, named after the legendary fencer and champion competitor who recently passed away. Then in the Doubles heat, the top six teams qualify for the Fieldays Silver Spades® Doubles Championship.” Opening day (Wednesday) sees the Bill Schuler Competition final take place – designed to promote youth in fencing and those new to competitions. Thursday

brings the gruelling Golden Pliers final – the epitome of fencing competitions. “It’s recognised on the world stage as being a highly-coveted trophy which exhibits precision fencing,” says White. The resulting 50-metre, 9-wire fences are scrutinised closely by the judges, right down to the smallest details. Any competitor who doesn’t complete their fence in the 6.5 hours is effectively disqualified. With the competition taking Bouskill around six hours, he says he needs to build his fitness beforehand by doing more than his usual job as an agricultural cadet trainer at Smedley Station. “I still do a little bit of fencing but not enough to get real fit. I do a bit of shearing, a bit of hunting, gym work and running.” Last year, Bouskill and son Tony together won the Silver Spades Doubles

Championship, held on the Friday at Fieldays. It was the first time the pair had won it and Bouskill says winning with his son was great, a proud moment. Silver Spades is a doubles (teams) competition which is more about the modernisation of fencing as it uses new products from sponsors WIREMARK, Cyclone, Strainrite, Goldpine, Stihl, Stock-ade, Steel & Tube/Hurricane.

Bouskill has mixed feelings about wanting to win the Golden Pliers this year. “I definitely still want to win it, but I’d also like to see Tony win it. He wants me to keep going till he beats me, but I’m getting closer to retirement and it gets tougher every year.” With only 3 points between father and son last year and just 1.5 the year before, it’s likely to be an epic battle.

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Indulge, discover and be inspired A visit to the Fieldays Kitchen Theatre is not to be missed.

Nadia Lim

Simon Gault

Photo: Anna Kidman

This enormously popular marquee buzzes with exciting new developments in the culinary industry as some of New Zealand’s most popular celebrity chefs cook up a storm.This year’s top chefs will demonstrate professional techniques and talk about the importance of knowing where your food comes from. With plenty of seating, you can enjoy presentations featuring delicious recipes and professional techniques. You’ll find out about foods derived from various sources including ingenious advances and sustainable farming techniques, and our amazing natural environment. And after becoming inspired by the skills and creativity of our wonderful celebrity chefs, you can stop by the Meet ‘n Greet area to say hello, snap a selfie or maybe purchase an inspiring recipe book. Plus, you’ll find the Pantry Marquee on the corner of N Road and FStreet. Exhibitors here will be displaying all manner of appetising edibles to tempt your taste buds, predominantly derived from

Megan May

New Zealand primary production. This year’s selection includes artisan cheeses, meats, preserves and produce, select wines, spirits and liquors and scrumptious snacks and treats. Kitchen accessories and appliances will also be showcased in this one-stop gourmet shop. The Fieldays Kitchen Theatre highlights the origin and development stories of various foods, and the importance of knowing what we’re eating from a nutrition and wellness perspective.

GUEST CHEFS

New Zealand’s first-ever MasterChef winner Brett McGregor will be in the Kitchen Theatre for a third year to demonstrate his creative, travel-inspired cooking expertise, and he’ll also be MC’ing the area and acting as overall ambassador for Fieldays Kitchen Theatre. Fabulous Michelin-trained chef Monique Fiso spent seven years in New York honing her skills as a sous chef before returning to New Zealand to create

Yvonne Lorkin

Brett McGregor

a pop-up dining series, Hiakai. Monique will demonstrate traditional Maori foraging and cooking techniques. Simon Gault is one of New Zealand’s best-loved celebrity chefs, with a variety of ventures and a slew of awards to his name. Simon will be sharing his expertise, his innovative ideas and his boundless enthusiasm for food, with a view to getting people excited to give things a go. Foodies Belinda MacDonald and Neena Truscott won ‘My Kitchen Rules’ in 2014. These days they run a boutique catering business, The Green Kitchen, and last year opened New Zealand’s first bone broth bar in Cambridge. They’ll be demonstrating their holistic approach to wellness and nutrition using the best in local and seasonal produce. Megan May of Little Bird Organics is known for her delicious raw food Unbakeries around Auckland. She will demonstrate highly nutritious food without using meat, wheat, dairy or egg, and from refined sugars, salts and carbohydrates,

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Belinda & Neena

but still tastes incredible. Columnist and wine judge Yvonne Lorkin will share her extensive knowledge of the New Zealand wine scene by describing the origins, production and characteristics of some delightful New Zealand wines. Nadia Lim is well-loved as a celebrity chef, cookbook writer and co-founder of ‘My Food Bag’. She is an enthusiastic advocate of the ‘nude food’ philosophy and with her background as a clinical dietitian, will demonstrate healthy, nutritious cooking. Marc Soper, representing Sheep Milk NZ, is an executive chef at Wharekauhau Country Estate in the Wairarapa. He’ll be cooking with sheep’s milk, which can be turned into special cheeses, yoghurts, amazing gelato and a sweet, subtle panna cotta. Greenlea Butcher Shop will be putting on an expert beef boning demonstration daily with Diana Bowmar demonstrating how to cook with cuts of boned meat.

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Fine dining with a Maori twist A talented chef demonstrating an innovative new cuisine will delight visitors to the Kitchen Theatre this year.

Monique Fiso has created Hiakai, a style of cooking combining Maori and fine dining ingredients and techniques, influenced by her heritage and her experience in the kitchens of top New York restaurants. Having always wanted to be a chef, Fiso worked after school in a sandwich bar and later for chef Martin Bosley while studying at the Wellington Institute of Technology, where she finished top of her class. Keen for adventure, she flew to New York, walked into Michelin-starred PUBLIC restaurant and was put straight to work as a line chef. For seven years she honed her skills as a sous chef in some of New York’s top kitchens, before returning to New Zealand in 2016 and launching Hiakai as a pop-up dining series. Hiakai started as an experiment because Fiso wondered why no one else was doing Maori fine dining cuisine. “I thought it would be an interesting thing to do, but the perception was that either there weren’t enough ingredients or the food just wasn’t that exciting. “I realised that for Maori cuisine to

take off, you have to address issues like supply chain and how you’re going to get your hands on ingredients in the first place.” She also had the problem of few knowledge resources. “Maori cuisine was verbally handed down through the generations but when urban drift occurred, a lot of that disappeared.” Eventually, after much research and testing, Fiso evolved Hiakai from an experiment to a full dining experience. Creating the cuisine starts with an idea. “From that, I brainstorm about five others and then I’ll get the ingredients and start testing and working on it until I’ve got something I’m happy to serve to people. A lot of Hiakai dishes are a mixture of two cultures. I showcase the Maori ingredients at the forefront of the dish, but I use techniques and ingredients that aren’t necessarily Maori. It’s about showing that indigenous culture can be really cool and playful and have a place in modern dining.”

Monique Fiso

Fiso and her chefs use classic Maori cooking methods such as earth ovens and steam cooking to create dishes like paua porridge, hapuka tartare with horopito and boil-ups of Michelin-star quality. At Fieldays, Fiso will demonstrate some Maori cooking techniques that are less familiar to people than the traditional hangi. “Some of the preservation methods with bull kelp and using fresh titi birds (muttonbird), are things which people don’t see every day but are really similar to some French cooking techniques. Like confit, if you change the vessel and change the duck to a muttonbird, it’s the same technique. Rendering down fat off a fatty bird to preserve the meat for winter.” Fiso will also be talking visitors through

traditional Maori foraging, involving common ingredients that can be found everywhere. “There’s kawakawa, karamu, horopito, puha. Then there’s looking at ti kouka as a food item rather than just a cabbage tree, so it’s wising people up to what’s out there and appreciating how bountiful the land is.” What Fiso loves most about Hiakai is the serving of it. “Even though the food is at a fine dining level and so is the service, it’s more relaxed and inclusive. I want everybody to be included in the experience, like whanau on a marae, which is what makes the dining experience a true reflection of our country and our culture.”

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International Business Centre

Agritech Business Seminar Series Seminars are designed for New Zealand agritech businesses and feature local and international experts working in some of the world’s fastest-growing agritech markets. They are supported by Fieldays, NZTE, Callaghan Innovation, Ministry for Primary Industries and the Treasury. All Seminars will be held in the Kauri Room in the IBC.

The Fieldays International Business Centre (IBC) offers a relaxed and professional environment to conduct business.

The IBC is the perfect place for exhibitors and international business visitors to meet and make new connections during Fieldays. It’s also the location of a number of special events, including a business seminar series for New Zealand agritech companies.

A team from Fieldays, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), Callaghan Innovation, Ministry for Primary Industries and the Treasury is on hand if you would like to be introduced to New Zealand businesses or international delegations, or if you have questions about exhibitors or events. IBC features • Private meeting rooms for 4-8 people • Seminar space for up to 34 people, with catering able to be booked • A comfortable lounge area • Work spaces with facility for charging mobile devices • Free wifi • Refreshments Private meeting rooms and seminar space are limited, so we recommend booking early. Please email your request to: fieldaysmeetingrooms@nzte.govt.nz or enquire at the IBC reception desk. Location: Mystery Creek Pavilion, E Street

Wednesday 13 June • Investing in the United States: 3.30 – 5.30pm presented by the U.S. Commercial Service of the United States Department of Commerce Thursday 14 June • Brexit Opportunities and Challenges: 10:00-11:00am followed by networking and morning tea • Where To Next? An Overview Of Top Agritech Markets: 3:304:30pm followed by networking and refreshments Friday 15 June • Driving Bigger, Better, Faster Sales: Light breakfast and networking from 8:00am, seminar 8:30-9:30am

• On-Farm Environmental Technology – Latest Trends and Products: 11:00-12:00pm followed by a light lunch For more detail or to reserve your seat please go to: www.nzte.govt.nz/ fieldays2018. Seating is limited, but space permitting you are also welcome to attend without a reservation.

Innovation Tours Join a group tour to see some of the New Zealand innovations that are solving problems and providing new technology developments for farmers internationally. Wednesday 13 June • 3:00-4:00pm Thursday 14 June • 10:00-11:00am • 3:00-4:00pm Friday 15 June • 10:00-11:00am • 3:00-4:00pm For more details or to reserve your place please go to: www.nzte. govt.nz/fieldays2018 . You are also welcome to join a group without a reservation. Location: Please meet inside the IBC before the start time. The IBC reception team will point you to the tour leader.

HigH Quality Stock Feed High Quality Pelleted and Mixed Stockfeeds including Minerals

Visit our team at Site PD16-18 in Mystery Creek® Pavilion. Giveaways to be drawn each day as well as calf pellets and an HP laptop worth up to

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T & C’s apply

FREE BUSES TO AND FROM

Park ‘n’ Ride Park at the Base Hamilton or BMX club Milton Street, Cambridge with buses leaving approx. every 30 minutes from 8am. To view the Hamilton city and regional bus timetables see

Use your Fieldays ticket to catch a free bus to and from Fieldays, 13-16 June 2018, from anywhere in Hamilton or from ﬁve regional areas. Hamilton and Regional Riders Hop on a satellite bus service to Hamilton from Raglan, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Paeroa, Morrinsville or Huntly, show your Fieldays ticket to the driver and ride to Hamilton City Transport Centre for free.

Hamilton Central to and from Fieldays Buses depart approx. every 30 minutes from 8am to 11am from the Transport Centre and travel via Anglesea Street, Palmerston Street, Pembroke Street, Ohaupo Road (State Highway 3), to Fieldays Gate 1. For your return journey buses depart Gate 1 from 1pm to 5pm returning the same route.

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DOWNLOAD THE 2018 FIELDAYS APP

13 - 16 June

2018

FENCING DEMONSTRATIONS FENCING COMPETITIONS

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Parents Room

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+ First Aid Police ?

Missing Person Coffee

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EVENT OFFICE

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I44 I42

W16

I45

PRECINCT

I46

J46 J44

B25

B15

RL23

I48

I49 I47

T DAIRY PRECINC

I50

B23 B21 B19 B17

D78A

I52

C93 C91 C89 C87 C85 C83 C81 C79 C77

M56 M54

L4 C95

M58

B13

L11

C97

BAR

A14 A12 A10

L13

C99

TRACTOR PULL

A16

L15

L10

C101

L17

L12

C103

Fencing Arch

L14

C105

A35

Toilets Sloping Sites Cable Lanes

For up to date information download the Fieldays App. fieldays.co.nz

fieldays.co.nz

TIMETABLE – ALL DAY EVENTS WED TO FRI: 8AM-5PM I SAT: 8AM-4PM EVENT

LOCATION

DESCRIPTION

Fieldays Innovations

INNOVATION CENTRE - M ROAD

See the latest developments in agricultural technology at the Innovations Centre - home to the prestigious Innovations Award exhibits.

Fieldays Careers and Education

CAREERS AND EDUCATION HUB

Inspiring youth in an environment that allows students to see themselves in the primary sector, the Careers and Education Hub offers information and avenues for agricultural success.

Fieldays Health and Wellbeing

HEALTH AND WELLBEING HUB

Fieldays have teamed up with Mobile Health and a range of healthcare services to showcase some of the lifesaving services they are providing communities.

Excavator Demonstrations

EXCAVATOR AREA, HEAVY EQUIPMENT AREA - GATE 4

Come and see operators take on the challenging course in the Heavy Equipment Zone in a test of skill and precision.

Tractor Pull Competition

TRACTOR PULL AREA, RIVER END OF M ROAD

Make your way riverside to the Tractor Pull Area where the strongest, fastest, noisiest and most captivating tractor sport takes place. A visit to the Ag Heritage Museum during Fieldays is a fascinating historical experience for everyone.

Heritage Village Activities HERITAGE VILLAGE Petting Farm - G Street RL69

Sam and his Farmyard Friends will be in the Petting Farm, featuring a pony, giant Flemish rabbit, sheep, Kunekune pig, silky Bantams and Peking ducks.

Fieldays Logging

LOGGING SKILLS AREA - SITE J0

Coordinated by STIHL, the Festival of Logging is an array of timber sport activities to capture everyone’s attention.

Fieldays Fencing Demonstrations

FENCING AREA, RIVER END OF L ROAD

Learn about fencing or get expert advice and the latest techniques at the Taragate Fencing Demonstrations.

24 fieldays.co.nz

TIMETABLE – SPECIAL EVENTS EVENT

LOCATION

DESCRIPTION

WED

THUR

FRI

SAT

Meet the Rural Catch Finalists

Meet the contestants as they test their skills both on and off the farm vying for the title of Fieldays Rural Catch of the Year.

9:30 - 10:15

Chelsea & The Nutro Ultimate Canines

Dazzling audiences with their amazing tricks and skills.

10:30 - 11:00 3:00 - 3:30

10:30 - 11

10 - 10:30 11:45 - 12:15

10 - 10:30 2:15 - 3:45

Fieldays Opening Ceremony

Join us for the formal opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the 50th anniversary of Fieldays.

12:00 - 1:00

Rural Catch Challenge - Dog Handling with Chelsea’s Ultimate Canines

The girls and guys vying for the title of Fieldays Rural Catch of the Year show off their dog handling skills in this popular challenge.

12:30 - 1:15

Rural Catch - Fittest Farmer Challenge

The Rural Catch of the Year contestants compete for the title of ‘Fittest Farmer’ in this challenge with Storey Sport.

1:00-1:45

The Rosie Show

DairyNZ’s Rosie the Cow will be giving performances, helping to teach kids and families the importance of dairy in New Zealand.

9:30 - 10:30 11:30 - 12:00

9:15 - 9:45 11 - 11:30

9:15 - 9:45 11 - 11:30 1:30 - 2:00

NZ Young Farmers North Island Debate Final

The aim of the debate competition is to develop public speaking, logic and argument skills. The ability to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively is invaluable in today’s world.

2:30 - 5:00

Fencing Competition Prize Giving

Come and view our champions at the Fencing Competitions prize giving.

4:00 - 5:00

2018 Rural Catch of the Year Prize Giving

The Fieldays Rural Catch of the Year and People’s Choice winners are announced in this popular ceremony.

12:00 - 12:30

Check out the shiniest vintage tractors as they leave the Heritage Village for the tractor parade.

10:00 - 11:00 2:00 - 3:00

Fencing Competition - Bill Schuler Competition Final

The Bill Schuler round of The New Zealand National Fencing Championships celebrates the next generation of fencers.

8:30 - 12:00

Fencing Competition - Fieldays Silver Staples

Competitors from leading rural tertiary educators 21 years and under will go head to head in the Fieldays Silver Staples.

11:00 - 2:30

The WIREMARK® Golden Pliers® features world leading competitors going head to head to decide who will be crowned the 2018 Champion.

8:00 - 2:30

Fieldays Silver Spades Doubles Championship is the ultimate team competition, with teams going head to head.

8:00 - 12:30

The contestants test their skills with STIHL.

1:00 - 1:45

Rural Catch - Health & Wellbeing HEALTH AND WELLBEING HUB Challenge

The contestants battle it out in this challenge focused on rural health and wellbeing.

2:30 - 3:15

Rural Catch - Suzuki ATV Skills Challenge

The guys and girls vying for the title of Fieldays Rural Catch of the Year test their ATV handling skills on a Suzuki quad bike.

11:00 - 11:45

The contestants test their tractor handling abilities in this ‘not-run-of-the-mill’ skills test.

11:00 - 11:45

Vintage Tractor Parades

Fencing Competition - Golden Pliers™ Singles Championship by WIREMARK®

VILLAGE GREEN

HERITAGE VILLAGE

FENCING AREA, RIVER END OF L ROAD

Fieldays Silver Spades Doubles Championship Rural Catch STIHL Challenge

LOGGING SKILLS AREA - SITE J0

RURAL CATCH SITE E56

Rural Catch - Giltrap Agrizone Tractor Challenge Rural Catch - Taragate Don’t Fence Me In Challenge

TARAGATE SITE - M36 & M38

The contestants test their fencing skills with Taragate in the don’t fence me in Challenge.

9:30 - 10:10

Rural Catch - Nail Your Numbers with Xero Challenge

XERO SITE PC51

So you can milk a cow, shear a sheep and drive a tractor, but do you have what it takes to wow the bank?

2:30 - 3:15

Rural Catch - LIC Bullseye Challenge

LIC SITE E78

The contestants test their skills in this artificial breeding challenge with LIC.

11:00 - 11:45

Rural Catch - Culinary Challenge with Brett McGregor

KITCHEN THEATRE - M ROAD

The contestants show off their culinary skills under the watchful eye of celebrity chef Brett McGregor.

9:00 - 9:45

Rural Catch - Farmlands Challenge

FARMLANDS SITE F103-109

The contestants test their skills in this problem solving challenge with Farmlands.

2:30 - 3:15

The final four Waikato schools will battle it out to become Fieldays Schools Tractor Pull Champions for 2018

1:30 - 2:00

Winners of the different Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition classes are announced.

3:00 - 3:30

Fieldays Schools Tractor Pull Final and Prize Giving Fieldays Tractor Pull Prize Giving

TRACTOR PULL AREA, RIVER END OF M ROAD

fieldays.co.nz

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TIMETABLE – KITCHEN THEATRE

LOCATION: KITCHEN THEATRE – M ROAD EVENT

DESCRIPTION

WED

THUR

FRI

SAT

9:00 - 9:45 3:45 - 4:30

9:00 - 9:30 3:45 - 4:30

3:45 - 4:30

Cooking Demonstration

Enjoy culinary presentations featuring delicious recipes and professional techniques.

Simon Gault Cooking Demonstration

Brought to you by Farmlands, Simon Gault is a New Zealand celebrity chef, entrepreneur, food writer and television personality, known for appearing as a celebrity chef judge on MasterChef NZ.

10:00 - 10:45

11:45 - 12:30

Brett McGregor Cooking Demonstration

New Zealand’s first-ever MasterChef winner, Brett McGregor. Brett will be sharing his passion for global culinary styles, ingredients and techniques in his on-stage cooking demonstrations.

11:45 - 12:30

12:45 - 1:30

10:00 - 10:45 12:45 - 1:30

10:00 - 10:30 12:45 - 1:30

Beef Boning and Cooking with Brett McGregor

Brought to you by Greenlea Butcher Shop, their expert butchers will display a beef boning and cooking demonstration accompanied by MasterChef winner, Brett McGregor.

12:45 - 1:30

2:45 - 3:30

11:00 - 11:45

11:45 - 12:30

Monique Fiso Cooking Demonstration

From an after school job as a sandwich hand at the tender age of 14, to the Michelin starred kitchens of New York City. Monique returned to New Zealand full time and began the pop up dining series, Hiakai.

1:45 - 2:30

9:45 - 10:30

Yvonne Lorkin - A wine lovers guide

‘A wine lovers guide to sounding flash in front of your friends’, Yvonne Lorkin is the drinks editor for Dish Magazine, wine writer for Canvas in the New Zealand Herald, radio presenter.

2:45 - 3:30

1:45 - 2:30

12:00 - 12:30

1:45 - 2:30

Neena & Belinda Cooking Demonstration

Taking the title of New Zealand’s first My Kitchen Rules champions, Neena and Belinda of the Green Kitchen have stayed true to their food philosophy and offered New Zealanders a different approach to cooking. Wellness through awareness” is what they are all about and being dedicated to leading the way in this new food revolution and helping others to understand the importance of ancestral eating.

10:45 - 11:30

Nadia Lim Cooking Demonstration

My Food Bag co-founder, MasterChef winner, dietitian and ‘nude food’ philosophy advocate Nadia Lim is in the Fieldays Kitchen Theatre serving up her latest recipes. Gather top tips and fresh ideas for your kitchen!

1:45 - 2:30

Marc Soper Cooking Demonstration

Brought to you by Sheep Milk NZ, Marc Soper is Executive Chef at Wharekauhau Estate in the Wairarapa, winner of the 2016 New Zealand Chef of the Nation competition and a Culinary Olympics 2020 NZ team member.

2:45 - 3:30

Megan May Little Bird Organics Cooking Demonstration

Brought to you by Hyundai, Megan May is the chef and owner of award-winning Auckland cafes Little Bird Organics and The Unbakery. After struggling with severe allergies to gluten, dairy and sugar, she began a lifelong love affair with creating and sharing raw food for wellbeing and pleasure.

9:00 - 9:45

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The app is downloadable free from the Apple and Google Play stores, and this year has undergone a complete rebuild by development company GPS-it. The new app offers improved functionality and consistency after consideration of feedback from previous years. Fieldays marketing and communications manager Taryn Storey is excited about the improved search function capability this year, she says it will really enhance the visitor experience on a site that involves more than 1000 exhibitors. “We’ve been working with exhibitors to ensure only the most robust data is being used and then it is tested, tweaked and re-tested to ensure meaningful and accurate results are delivered every time.” Paul Haakma, GIS software developer at GPS-it, says the app was built using ESRI mapping technology with a spatially correct map of the Fieldays site. “The map forms the base of the app and ensures that the app experience remains consistent and fast. A key component in designing an app for a large event like Fieldays is storing as much data as possible offline. This ensures the app experience remains fast and responsive even when thousands of people are using it at the same time.” ‘Innovations’, a popular feature of the app will showcase the latest crazy-great inventions in agriculture shaping future farming practices. “This year, you’ll be able to view the map by Innovations competition entries, which is really exciting,” says Haakma. One of the most popular features of the app is ‘Pin My Car’, which allows visitors to pin their car’s location when parking to help them find it when they leave. “This feature alone has reduced the number of alleged vehicle thefts from the event,” says Storey. “In the

past, people would wander to where they thought they had parked, only to find their vehicle missing. Most often it was just parked a couple of rows over, or sometimes in an entirely different carpark!” Other features of the app enable ticket purchases, adding events to your calendar, identifying favourite exhibitors and saving them to Favourites to be viewed on the interactive map. Visitors can also search for exhibitor details, event times and locations, and locate those all-important service amenities – the food courts, ATMs and toilets. “And most importantly,” says Storey, “it will show the way to the nearest coffee cart!” For the first time, the app has enabled routing, meaning the app is able to show a route from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’, so if you’re standing at the bottom of gate two and you want to head over to the Village Green or a particular exhibitor, the app can show you the route – similar to Google Maps. In predicting developments that may be needed in years to come, Haakma notes that user experience always forms an important part in determining future functionality enhancements. “But some of the developments currently in discussion include advanced schedule planning, social media integration and other ways to interact with exhibitors.” Storey says other future enhancements will likely be around the routing and real-time delivery of information. “We anticipate the delivery of alerts around favourite items and exhibitors, and possibly access to specials only available through the app.” With the app now revamped and ready to go, Fieldays visitors should have no problem hot-footing it from the car park to the first coffee cart on the map!

Hyundai looking ahead Sustainability and innovation continue to be hot topics of conversation and not just across the agricultural sector. Hyundai New Zealand is a prime example, of a kiwi business focused on creating a sustainable and innovative tomorrow. Electric vehicles are here, connected driver services are just around the corner and they’re committed to leading the way. Last year they launched Auto Link™, a world-first smartphone app that enables drivers to access information and essential data in real time as never before. Hyundai Auto Link™ connects your car’s on-board computer to your mobile phone. You can then monitor your car’s health, see how you’re performing as a driver, book in a service and if you’ve forgotten where you parked your car….it can help with that too. “It’s just one of the game changing innovations that Hyundai is introducing

The Hyundai Kona Electric can cover up to 400km on a single charge.

to New Zealand,” says Hyundai New Zealand General Manager, Andy Sinclair. “In addition to enhancing the way people drive through technology, we’re also acutely aware of the importance sustainability has on people’s lifestyles.” The Hyundai IONIQ is currently New Zealand’s best-selling new EV with a range of over 200km with no compromise on performance and has won numerous awards, demonstrating Hyundai’s commitment to bringing a superior electric vehicle to Kiwis. And the IONIQ is due to welcome its electric SUV sibling to New Zealand later this year. The Kona EV has the eye-popping

range of over 400km on a single charge and with a 204hp powertrain, it accelerates from 0 to 100kmph in just 7.2 secs. Who said sustainable driving can’t be fun? With that kind of range and performance in a SUV body, the Kona EV might just be the car that finally creates the tipping point for electric vehicles in New Zealand. And while the brand might be a global automotive powerhouse, Hyundai New Zealand is 100% kiwi owned and every Hyundai dealership is 100% New Zealand operated. “That’s a big reason why we’re so

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passionate about bringing innovation to New Zealand drivers. This is our home and we’re proud to be leading the way towards an exciting future for all of us.” “But we’re also committed to supporting the things Kiwi are passionate about today. We’re proud to be a partner of Fieldays, Hyundai Country Calendar and the Spirit of Adventure Trust along with many more community organisations and events. And through our own Pinnacle Programme, a unique scholarship that gives talented young New Zealanders the foundations for success we’re helping the up-and-coming stars of tomorrow,” says Sinclair.

13-16

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As your partner we are committed to your region throughout 2018 and into the future. Contact us today to find out what we can do to help you grow. ONE NAME COVERS IT ALL fieldays.co.nz

Sustainability a point of pride Fieldays runs a sustainable and environmentally conscious event.

With over 130 000 visitors and over 1000 exhibitors, identifying key impact areas is vital. Once again Fieldays is using the ISO 20121 standard employed by high-profile events such as the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup, to monitor and manage reducing the event’s carbon footprint. This is a voluntary international standard for event management. Peter Birkett from InStep – a company which prepares an annual report on the event’s sustainability measures – says this year’s sustainability initiatives include ensuring exhibitors minimise energy consumption, increase the use of carpooling, reduce water wastage and highlight renewable and alternate energy systems. “Exhibitors will continue to see waste handling improvements with waste stream separation and waste removal programmes operating before, during and following the event,” he says.

“Waste management is a crucial aspect of this large event and the world has never been more aware of the impact from waste generation and the way waste is managed. Continuing communications with all exhibitors and information sharing with attendees will assist in the objective of achieving a 50% landfill diversion rate by weight.” Last year 47 percent of the event’s waste was recycled and reused, preventing it from going into landfill. He says that the waste management team clears around 13,000 household bags over the event and getting support from both exhibitors and visitors had been an important factor in minimising environmental impact in previous years. Last year over 11,000 passengers utilised the free bus and he expects that to rise by 10 percent this year resulting in around 5000 less vehicles travelling to the event.

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Fieldays innovation Innovation is the cornerstone of Fieldays and once again we’re showcasing Kiwi ingenuity. Home to the prestigious Innovations Award exhibits the Innovation Centre is a place for visitors to see all sorts of interesting inventions and ideas that are likely to shape farming practices and the future of New Zealand’s primary industries. Each year the Innovation Centre has received extensive media coverage as the world looks to New Zealand to lead innovation for the agriculture sector. With a range of categories in which to enter, and a competition structure that supports Kiwi ingenuity at all levels, Fieldays has seen many Kiwi innovations go on to achieve extraordinary success both nationally and offshore. The three main categories are Fieldays Prototype Award, Fieldays Launch NZ Award and Fieldays International Award. As part of entering the competition entrants are able to access free advice from lawyers, patent and trademark attorneys,

accountants and product development consultants. This year, you can also expect to see companies showcasing their innovation entries from existing sites around Fieldays.

Fieldays is proud to partner with Vodafone, Sprout, Callaghan Innovation, Locus Research, Crowe Horwath, Tompkins Wake, Origin and Enterprise Angles to bring you the Innovation Centre.

Above: Co-Founders Darren Bainbridge and Carl Vink along with marketing intern Steph Fankhauser were presented with four awards during the Fieldays Innovation Awards in 2017.

Pole sheds Build the shed that’s in your head.

fieldays.co.nz

Harvest uses Vodafone to deliver smart farming solutions Harvest showcases New Zealand’s first remote electric fence monitor at Fieldays.

Will remote monitoring solutions for farmers powered by Internet of Things (IoT) technology lead to a boom for the travel industry? Worry-free vacations for farmers are just one of the many possibilities of the smart farming solutions invented and built right here in New Zealand by Harvest. At this year’s Fieldays, Harvest is launching its two latest innovations: the country’s first remote electric fence monitor and a stand-alone remote water tank monitor. Harvest Managing Director, Peter Munn explains, “Any farmer will tell you two of their biggest pain points are knowing if their fences are up and working, and if there is water in the tanks, particularly if they’re planning to be away. We’ve come up with a cost-effective solution to both using our remote monitoring technology, connected by Vodafone’s Internet of Things (IoT) network.” The Harvest remote electric fence monitor sends a txt message if the voltage drops below a certain level. There’s also an app for your phone that enables farmers to monitor their fences from anywhere at any time. “Farmers depend on electric fences, and knowing there’s a problem in real time is invaluable to them. For starters, they can prevent stock from winding up on the road or over-feeding,” says Munn. Harvest is also launching a remote water tank monitor, which farmers can buy as stand-alone units. Munn predicts additional applications for the tank monitors, saying, “For the thousands of people with holiday homes on rain water who rent them out on BookaBach or Airbnb, this will let them know when they need to get a tanker in or ask guests to go easy on the length of their showers.” Munn says what’s at the heart of both innovations is peace of mind and know-

Water Tank Monitor Electric Fence Monitor

ing your stock are safe. So, how does it all work? The answer is through Internet of Things (IoT) technology, which Munn believes will drive digital transformation in farming. Scott Pollard, Vodafone IoT Manager explains, “IoT is about delivering data driven insights that help businesses make informed decisions, which ultimately increase productivity, efficiency and sustainability.” “The data is collected through global IoT SIMs placed in devices, which are managed through one global platform on more than 600 mobile networks. The data is then accessed through easy to use apps or software. “Worldwide, Vodafone’s Managed IoT Connectivity Platform helps farms and businesses in 182 countries, and we connect more than 60 million devices, including about 7000 for Harvest here in New Zealand.” Harvest’s latest fence and water tank innovations are ideally suited to Vodafone’s new IoT network technologies called LTE-M and Narrowband-IoT (NBIoT). These technologies are being tested with plans to roll out LTE-M across New Zealand later this year. Pollard explains, “These new IoT network technologies open up a whole new

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world of possibilities, enabling connectivity in previously inaccessible environments and with much greater battery life. “Today, less than1% of all the things that could be connected are connected, often due to being geographically remote, underground, like drainage pipes, or even underwater. So, NB-IoT is particularly relevant to farming given the landscapes and locations.” Munn says he believes Vodafone has backed the right horses with its choice of IoT network technologies for the future. “There are other networks, but LTE-M and NB-IoT have greater coverage and require less power than existing cellular technologies. I think they will be game-changers.” Adds Pollard, “Only Vodafone is delivering these new network technologies both in New Zealand and internationally, built to a global standard to deliver security, scalability and longevity. I believe they will usher in a step change in the pace and variety of smart farming innovations.” Harvest’s newest products join its

already comprehensive suite of IoT-powered remote monitoring solutions. Perhaps best known for frost monitors for vineyards, Harvest offers temperature, wind, rain and water meter sensors, and monitors Kiwirail’s level crossings nationwide. Munn says one of the biggest growth areas for the company is soil moisture probes, which dairy farmers in New Zealand are increasingly using to avoid over or under watering and optimise pasture growth. “We’re unique in that we design, build and monitor all of our products right here in New Zealand, including using our own robots to make our circuit boards. We offer end-to-end solutions backed by the best IoT network.” Pollard says Harvest’s latest remote monitored products are a glimpse of what’s to come. “Harvest’s products are great examples of how IoT can transform farming in really practical, meaningful ways, and Vodafone’s excited to help enable the future of smart farming.“

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Logging legends compete Roaring chainsaws and flying woodchips set to thrill visitors. The Festival of Logging was created by Stihl decades ago as a way to give back to the forestry industry, which has long supported the brand. Stace Hall, Stihl’s marketing manager, says it’s a privilege to put on an event showcasing the endeavours of some of the country’s hardest working men and women. Champions Trophy trials day is held on Thursday. Athletes are challenged to complete an individual relay in the fastest

time using chainsaws, axes and crosscut handsaws to sever discs from blocks of varying sizes. Then 10 minutes later, they must complete the process again. The athlete with the fastest combined times will win the right to represent New Zealand in Europe. Friday is TIMBERSPORTS® trials day – an exciting event not to be missed! This rtt is globally popular woodchopping sport

a display of power, precision and technique, and this year the trials are part of the selection process that determines who will represent New Zealand in October at the 2018 Stihl TIMBERSPORTS® World Championships in Liverpool, England. All eyes will be on local legend Jason Wynyard, who is nine-times and current world champion in the sport. Wynyard works for Stihl as a service technician and keeps up a weekly training regime to prepare for the Fieldays and world championships, including three days of gym-based strength/mobility training, two of swimming pool-based aerobic conditioning and one day of timber-based technical training. He says it felt great to the win the world championship for the ninth time

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last November in Norway, especially as he had overcome a major back injury – a ruptured disc – sustained in May last year that could have ended his career. “Being part of the New Zealand team that won the Team World Championship in Norway was even more sweet!” he says. Wynyard’s father was world champion in timbersports and his grandfather and uncles were skilled practitioners. “I’m very proud to represent my family in the sport of woodchopping,” he says. “Their skills gained from hard work and determination have inspired me in my career.” On Saturday at Fieldays, loggers from around New Zealand will compete against each other and the clock in multiple Loggersport rts t events. The challenge is for the teams and individuals to match-race and prove their ability, speed and skill.

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Tug of war The tractor pull harks back to old school fun. With a focus on uniting town and country, the Fieldays Schools Tractor Pull supported by Giltrap AgriZone and The Breeze has been a well anticipated event among local communities since its launch in 2015. It provides a great chance for youngsters to build on their resilience, teamwork and communication skills, which can pay off hugely; last year’s winning school was presented with a giant $2,000 cheque for their mighty effort.“Then there is the kudos of being crowned the winner,” says event manager Lynn Robinson. “There are some local friendly rivalries between schools, which seem to get the teams pumped each year.’ Described as an event that “unites students supporting their peers, and encouraging each other to achieve something spectacular”, it’s not often the public gets the chance to witness school children pull a full-size tractor! “It’s a good opportunity to bring local school communities together,” she says, “this year particularly, with our theme the Future of Farming. These kids are the future and if we can create events to support their growth and bring the communi-

ty together, then we’re all for it.” Last year, Te Awamutu Primary School took out the competition, adding the cash prize to fundraising savings for resurfacing and covering the tennis court used by the school and its local community. But not before the entire team was shouted a round of ice-blocks for all their hard work, says principal Sharon Griffiths. The 20 athletic students pulled a 5000kg Giltrap AgriZone tractor 30m through mud and down the length of a school field in just 31.89 seconds. They beat seven other rural and urban schools with their winning time, which was around four seconds faster than their closest rival.

Sharon explains the team of boys and girls was selected during a school strength trial of tug-of-war. Once chosen, the team’s training was enough to give the All Blacks a run for their money – pulling the caretaker’s ute around the field during lunchtimes three times a week. She says the school entered the competition to give its 450 students the opportunity to compete in a unique and fun event, while also helping to build their team-work skills. In return, the winners received very positive feedback from the school’s entire learning community. “Students were very excited to win the title after all their hard work. Their peers,

teachers and parents were all very proud of them,” she says. “Our learning community loved seeing and cheering for our team when the big tractor came to school for the heat.” But, where to from here? Well, competing schools may need to up their game. This year schools will have to pull the 40 metres in a race against the clock. “Now that our students know they can work together to achieve success, there will be a lot of interest and motivation for our senior students to be selected to compete at the 2018 event,” she says. “We’ll definitely be entering again to do our best to defend the title.”

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Village steeped in history Known for our sheep covered fields and Number 8 Wire mentality, New Zealand’s past is steeped in agricultural heritage and tradition.

offers a chance to wander down memory lane, while making good use of that classic line, “back in my day”. A visit to the 100-year-old school house may have them reminiscing, as their grandchildren test ink-pens while seated at old-style desks, or gasp at the wooden dental chair. For those children who get too unruly the village jail, built in the 1800s, is sure to fascinate as well as detain. The Heritage Village has put all the pieces of the past together to help younger generations learn the stories of our history, and about the land New Zealanders live, work and farm on to show how the past has shaped who we are today, and how we move into the future. Many will discover their own history along the way, as the village opens its door, quite literally, during Fieldays. Alan Reilly explains that the village is made up of heritage buildings relocated from rural Waikato communities including an old Ngatea church, Kihikihi jail, Whitehall school and Waikato’s first hospital.

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However, some Kiwis may not be fully aware of the integral part it plays in New Zealand’s economy or lifestyle. A trip to the Ag Heritage Village will put that right, as visitors can travel back through history – from pre-European up until recent times – during this year’s 50th anniversary Fieldays. Educating youth is the focus of the village, and many will find it a real eye opener, such as experiencing working demonstrations of stationary engines that powered farms, getting up close with two Clydesdale horses, or learning how to spin, weave and felt. For the youngsters, the power of toys and games that their grandparents enjoyed remains strong. New Zealand National Fieldays Society Heritage Coordinator, Alan Reilly, says these are the most popular activities at the village. “Stilts, hoops and sticks, quoits, races, and horseshoes – old games are a challenge to children.” For the more ‘mature’ visitor the village

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“Additional to the relocated buildings is a replica garage and blacksmith’s forge, as well as the National Dairy Museum and machinery barn. During the event these buildings will be open, helping visitors learn more about their rural heritage through displays, puzzles, competitions, hands-on activities and demonstrations.” There is plenty to see and do including interactive demonstrations of Maori medicine, art, weaving and tattoo stencils in the village’s barn. The kids can give mascot Daisy the Cow a high five, have

their photo taken with her in the Dairy Museum, and watch her perform at the Village Green. Then there are the tractor rides around the village lake, and the ever popular vintage tractor parade that runs daily at 10am and 2pm. This year there will be an impressive collection of vintage tractors trekking from clubs throughout the North Island to be at Fieldays. It is these authentic experiences that offer a great insight into how life was for our ancestors in rural New Zealand.

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20 years of memories By Jamie Mackay.

My memories of the New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays date back more than 20 years in a year when we’re set to celebrate 50 years of Fieldays. Most of my memories are extremely positive, after all Fieldays is the biggest agricultural gig in town, even though it’s all about the country! However, it would be fair to say I didn’t cover myself in glory on my first foray to Mystery Creek in the mid 1990’s. My memory is somewhat foggy and the exact year eludes me, which will become apparent shortly for obvious reasons. But first I want to go back another decade, to 1982, when fate and fortune

42 fieldays.co.nz

intervened on what should have been my first visit to the ‘Tron for Fieldays. Back then I was a young buck taking a gap year from the family farm in Southland to broaden my farming horizons at Lincoln College. All my rugby mates back home were farmers, shearers, truck drivers or freezing workers and I was a bit sad to leave them and the local footy team behind while I went in pursuit of a Diploma in Agriculture and the woman who ended up being Mrs. Mackay. So while I was in Christchurch, the aforementioned mates decided to broaden their horizons by heading to Hamilton

for the Fieldays. I’m not too proud to admit to a bit of jealousy about their jaunt, especially when they came home with tall tales of what they’d got up to in the Big Smoke of the ‘Tron. They even managed to buy some farming stuff while there and they reckoned Mystery Creek was a real eye opener when it came to new farming technology. Bear in mind back in 1982 the field days on their own back door step, the Southern Field Days at Waimumu just outside of Gore, had only just begun that year with a handful of exhibitors. Fast forward a decade and a bit and I’d gone from farmer to radio station owner and was tasked with leading a hit-and-run one day tour to the Fieldays for a plane load of Southland farmers. It was the brain child of the then chief executive of CRT Southland, Sue Lindsay. The idea was to charter a direct flight out of Invercargill to Hamilton, leaving at 6am and returning much later that evening at about 9pm. All of the sponsoring companies (of which Radio Hokonui was one) had to come up with a contribution to the passengers’ goodie bags. Mine was cheap radio station-branded sunglasses, a poor man’s version of the Dirty Dog wrap-arounds made infamous at the time by Winston’s NZ First henchmen, Tau Henare and Tuku Morgan. The day had dawned fine in Hamilton but it soon unraveled when the lenses from the aforementioned sunglasses started to pop out involuntarily. I was so embarrassed to see these Southland farmers wandering around Mystery Creek looking like Captain Hook and I really

regretted my parsimonious purchase. For my part I wandered around Fieldays hectically recording my lunchtime radio show on my new-fangled cell phone (as they were known in the ‘90s). By 1pm it was job done, time for lunch and a quick beer. I’d already been on the job for eight hours and felt I’d earned one. And that’s when the wheels began to fall off. It started to bucket down so a few of my fellow tour sponsors decided to have another beer rather than risk getting soaked whilst taking in all Mystery Creek had to offer. Two beers turned to three and gradually over the course of the afternoon nearly all of our tourists joined us at the bar. It turned into a right old Southland party! By the time we boarded our bus to catch our charter flight back to Invercargill, some of us were slightly the worse for wear. My job was to MC festivities on the plane as we had lots of spot prizes and sponsor giveaways. My only recollection of the flight home was waking up somewhere over the top half of the South Island, telling an inappropriate joke, and falling back into an ale-induced slumber. I’m still embarrassed to this day when I meet some of those passengers! Fortunately, I’ve grown up a bit since then and have been back to Mystery Creek almost every year since to broadcast my radio show. I reckon I’m close to notching 20 appearances from the 49 Fieldays thus far. Jamie Mackay is the host of The Country which airs on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport, 12-1pm, weekdays. jamie@thecountry.co.nz

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