Fieldays gets three generations of volunteers

There are three generations in tow when the Quinlains head out to the 44th Annual Fieldays this year.

Neil Quinlain has been volunteering for the Fieldays for 27 years, and this year he will finally be able to take his 9-month-old granddaughter. And proud is an understatement.

“She’s coming out next week and sitting in the baby seat in the van,” he announces the week before Fieldays.

Neil and his wife Karen have both been involved with Fieldays for a quarter of a century, while their 31-year-old daughter Michelle has been helping from the mere age of four.

“We’ll have the whole family there,” Karen grins.

The lovable pair form two integral parts of the smooth running of Fieldays. Mr Quinlain is your guy for all water supply and Mrs Quinlain organises the transport of goods around Fieldays. Mr Quinlain is also on the Fieldays agricultural committee.

“Many years ago when he first started, I used to be left on the farm to move the stock and do things he should have been doing while he took off to the Fieldays,” Karen jokes.

“And then one day you (Neil) said to me ‘why didn’t I get involved in the Fieldays too?’ So I did.”

The retired couple are ex-dairy farmers and they say the 4am starts are just what they are used to.

Without them, Fieldays would not quite function so well. There would be no flushable toilets, no water for the food and beverage exhibits, no water features, and you would have to lug your newly purchased goods around all day by yourself. No thanks.

Neil recalls a trip to Canada a few years back, when he and Karen almost didn’t make it back in time.

“We flew into Auckland at 4.30 on the Wednesday morning, and we were at Fieldays by 9am,” he says.

“I think they were panicking a bit without us,” Karen adds, grinning.

But why? Why dedicate at least two weeks of your time to something every year? What’s in it for them? Neil says it is the sheer enjoyment.

“We do it because we want to not because we have to.

“It’s enjoyable because we are all there, the same sort of people. Most of us have farming backgrounds. The core people are the same ones who have been doing it for a long time.

“We have never been paid and don’t want to be paid. We do it because it’s the best show in the world.”

And boy, does he believe that.

“There’s nothing else in like us in the world because we’re run by volunteers. Because we’re there ’cause we want to be and there’s a big difference when you’re doing something because you want to against doing it ’cause you have to do it. And that’s what makes it flow.

“The Americans come over here and they just can’t understand how we can make it run.”

When asked what the challenges are, Mr Quinlain struggles to think of one.

“Yeah, we have our ups and downs, but we generally work it out and it’s not a problem.”

Over the years the couple have contributed not only time, but also a great deal of innovation and experience to the event.

The courier service run by Karen was an idea that hatched after one of their overseas trips, Neil explains.

“The courier, we sort of came back with the idea. We went to a Fieldays in Tasmania in ’97, and they had a system over there where people bought something and you don’t want to carry it around because it’s usually something big.

“They just had a shipping container set up, and people would take it there and leave it there and they’d have a ticket with a number on it, and leave one number with the parcel, and one number people would take away. At the end of the day they’d come back and hand their ticket over and take their goods away.

“So we brought that back here and it’s gone from Karen and one other person, and now there are 10 vans and about 12 of them that do it now,” Neil says.

“All volunteers,” Karen adds.

All up, about 135 volunteers contribute their time to the Fieldays every year, and they all are organised by volunteers coordinator Kerry Clarkin.

“He does an excellent job,” Neil says.

Neil and Karen are clearly farmers, through and through. The thought of the “townies” coming out to the Fieldays brings a smile to both of their faces.

“When the townies turn up with their good clothes on in the muddy car parks and you just have to laugh. You don’t shake your head you just have a quiet chuckle to yourself,” Neil says.

Karen goes on to explain that Saturdays are townies days at Fieldays.

“Townies can come out to the Fieldays and they can see the whole outfit in about two hours.”

“You have a bit of a laugh about that,” Neil smiles.

There are a couple of perks to being a volunteer. Neil and Karen were awarded their trip to Australia as a thank you for the great efforts they have put in over the years.

“Our trip to Tasmania was sponsored by the Fieldays so on a personal basis that was very nice.”

The smiles keep coming as he explains what he likes most about being involved with the event.

“Overall just seeing the show develop as it has done over the years and get bigger and better and just keep going forward.”

After all the smiles around the table, you look to the walls. And looking at the pictures of smiling grandchildren on the wall, you can’t help but wonder what fantastic people these kids are going to turn into, with grandparents like the Quinlains.