Latest news with #MysteryCreek
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Fieldays boss says positive signs 2025 will beat last year in sales
Fieldays attendees scoping the tractors at Fieldays. Photo: Marika Khabazi Fieldays chief executive Richard Lindroos says early indications are that this year's event sales will top 2024. As many as 100,00 people are expected through the Southern Hemisphere's biggest agricultural event. And with still two days to go, including 'Super Saturday', Lindroos is confident 2025 will surpass last year's. "Yeah, I think so, there are really good early indications," he told Morning Report. "The thing about this event is .. it's just the scale and it's so massive here. Every supplier in the agribusiness field is here. We're just making sure we can give them the best visibility to get those sales, so really positive. "Everyone's coming through the gates now, streaming through. So, it's going to have another good day, and on Saturday, it's Super Saturday." That's when the more of the townies coming to town, he said. Two days in, Lindroos said the atmosphere at Mystery Creek had been great, and there had been no shortage of sentiment. He said was particularly pleased with the political "ceasefire" with opposing politicians supporting sector. "We've had a great few days halfway through. We're going to hit our targets in terms of crowd and we're just hoping we're going to hit our targets in terms of sales," Lindroos said. "There is a really good vibe here. You were here on Wednesday morning and hopefully you saw that as you walked around and probably the thing for me ... some announcements which were a part of what's happening in terms of the political scene. "We had the Field Day ceasefire where everyone was playing nicely and both major parties supporting agribusiness as we head to the future." Lindroos said it wasn't just the big capital items on sale, such as tractors or combine harvesters, but there had been queues out of the door for workwear as well. "We've got sunshine today, people streaming in. It's going to be another good day here," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
In its 57th year, Fieldays is still a hit for farmers across the country
Over 100,000 people attend the annual Fieldays at Mystery Creek Photo: Stephen Barker When Fieldays first kicked off in Te Rapa 57 years ago, farmers could get their boots shined. Those days are over, but it is still the place where farmers go to dream. And spend. And watch competitions like the tractor pull. It is the place you can buy a tractor for $500,000, or get the latest in rural fashion. More than 1000 exhibitors from drone makers to kiwifruit leather inventors are at the largest rural expo in the Southern Hemisphere to sell their products, do commercial deals or simply introduce their products and services to the crowds. Despite the concrete paths, gumboots were a popular choice of footwear at the 2025 Fieldays Photo: Davina Zimmer Retired dairy farmer Mike from Ōhaupō in Waikato has only missed one Fieldays, when he was in London. He tells The Detail how he has watched the event grow from its agricultural roots. "We were always dreaming to get ahead. It's a different sort of show now," he says. "You'd go and polish your boots, but that's gone because it would cost them big money to have a stall here." But one feature that's lasted for the past five decades is the tractor pull. Tractor pull organiser and champion Dan Reymer says heavy rain has made this year's track difficult, a real test of the drivers' skills. Daniel Reymer with The Detail's Sharon Brettkelly Photo: Davina Zimmer "It's the slowest and hardest we've ever seen," he says. "It's the same as the paddock and the farm: you have to adapt your machine to suit the conditions." When this "tractor and machinery nut" is not pulling slabs of concrete in a race, he is out checking the new machinery. But with prices in the hundreds of thousands, he doesn't dare dream of buying anything. He says that the family contracting business just spent "over a mil" on a new harvester. At the Polaris stand Andrew Simpson, aka 'Simmo', is demonstrating a new light utility vehicle, commonly known as a side-by-side. "This is my sandpit," he says as he steers it up a steep track. Simpson runs a training business that teaches people how to safely operate farm vehicles, some of which have been responsible for a number of farm deaths and accidents. "There's still deaths happening. It's not just quads but also side-by-sides. But with these we've got roll protection, we've got seatbelts. So that's one of the key things, we've got to wear a seatbelt because if we were to tip it over and we got chucked out that would kill us. Tractors raced each other pulling concrete blocks weighing several tonne. Photo: Davina Zimmer "Historically we've seen that happening, people don't wear their seatbelts, or they take their doors off, they take their nets off ... and they expose themselves to a lot more risk." The Detail also talks to two Chinese businessmen who are looking for new customers for their agrochemicals. They say there is nothing like Fieldays in China for basic farmers, and it is difficult to describe what it is like to people back home. "It's amazing. This experience is something you can only imagine." Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Fieldays: Christopher Luxon faces questions as rural wellbeing fund announced
New Zealand farmers are the best in the world, the Prime Minister has told reporters at Fieldays. The annual farming event kicked off on Wednesday at Mystery Creek. It is the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural event , and this year it has a record number of exhibitors. Christopher Luxon says: "I want the farmers to know they're deeply valued and deeply loved by this government." "This is the backbone of the New Zealand economy, we are the best farmers in the world." Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay earlier unveiled the government's $4 million boost to rural wellbeing. McClay said everything they campaigned on will be delivered by the end of the term. Here's what else happened at Fieldays; Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and minister Todd McClay speak to reporters at Fieldays. Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Fieldays live: Christopher Luxon faces questions as rural wellbeing fund announced
Listen to Morning Report live from Fieldays and follow our blog, as more than 100,000 people are expected through the gates The annual farming event which kicks off on Wednesday at Mystery Creek. It is the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural event , and this year it has a record number of exhibitors. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Fieldays live: $4 million fund unveiled for rural wellbeing
Listen to Morning Report live from Fieldays and follow our blog, as more than 100,000 people are expected through the gates The annual farming event which kicks off on Wednesday at Mystery Creek. It is the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural event , and this year it has a record number of exhibitors. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
