Hustle bustle of Fieldays

A week out and the huge National Fieldays’ site at Mystery Creek was already a hive of seriously-busy hustle.

Mini, medium and massive tents and marquees were rapidly springing up all over the sprawling river-flat, spread out below the steep roadway leading down to the site. Carpets of wood-chips were being laid; temporary wooden or paved floors were being put down: railing fences and small, steep sets of seating were being erected; long pine poles, to hold flags and banners and gaudy signs, were being rammed; piping rails to hold docile stock were being installed.

And there was too, the heavy rattlings and thumpings of chains and steel-on-steel as great metal containers, crammed full of sales goods of all sorts, were unloaded from trucks and strategically placed alongside some of the many tents, big and small. As well, trucks of varying sizes lumbered down the hill on to the hectic site, laden with gleaming, shiny, fresh-painted tractors and a plethora of farm machinery, large and small.

Men, machinery and merchandise – all of them were converging en masse for the annual Fieldays’ extravaganza. It’s the biggest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere, and it’s worth millions of dollars to the Waikato. It’s worth many millions more to the country, and is one of the nation’s great annual international show pieces. Close to 150,000 people will visit the location during the next four days.

Today sees the opening of the 44^th consecutive year of operation, the first couple being held in the centre of the Te Rapa race course in the late 1960s. By current standards they were small forlorn events, but there was foresight and determination among those earlier organisers, and when they decided to shift the site from Te Rapa to Mystery Creek there were howls of misery and contempt – the new site was too remote; access would be a problem ; nobody would bother going; too difficult for exhibitors to present their wares.

In the four decades since those nay-sayers have been roundly silenced.

Instead, selected nations of the world are pleased to have the opportunity to put themselves on show as guests of the Fieldays. This year it’s Ireland, and the “emerald green” so often associated with that country will fit right in with the central Waikato.

Late yesterday the massive temporary camp-site looked good, as it inevitably does, all ready for opening today.

Only a keen wind added the cautionary note that visitors should always dress for the occasion – stout footwear, sensible winter clothing, maybe a hat, perhaps a back-pack, and something waterproof.

Such gear makes National Fieldays’ visits so much more enjoyable.