Farmers Flock to Fieldays

15 June 2006
For immediate release

Farmers Flock to Fieldays

Thursday, the second day of Fieldays® was a great day for 30,619 visitors to check out the latest agricultural innovations and products and get the best prices on everything at this popular event.

Exhibition areas throughout Fieldays were buzzing this afternoon, with visitors enjoying more fine weather and taking advantage of great Fieldays specials to stock up on farm essentials and a range of indulgences that appealed to everyone.

Over 50 food sites scattered around Fieldays also did a brisk trade, providing visitors with choices from hotdogs and chips to whitebait and venison.

The Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year finalists were in great form, competing in heats throughout the day. 18-year-old Jono King took out the Skellerup heat, showing speed and skill in changing milk liners, and Christen Dimond showed his creative flair with his Bachelor-style Ag Art Wear entry in the Farm Fashion Heat in which the bachelors dressed the Suzuki Cheerleaders in materials off the farm including bailing twine, feed sacks, possum fur pieces and bark.

Lunchtime bought the BBQ Factory King heat in which nutritionist and guest judge Jeni Pearce taught the bachelors a thing or two about nutrition on the farm. Christen Dimond and Matiu Noakes took out joint honours in the cook-off, Christen for presentation and Matiu for the best steak.

In the afternoon, experienced rodeo rider Warren Nichol cashed in on his experience to cut steers from the herd and win the Cutting Horse heat, despite the wooden performance of his toy horse mount. Guest judge Graham Bell of Police Ten 7 joined the bachelors for the final Ford Thinking heat of the day in which Christen Dimond again triumphed, this time in a rural bloke combat course, changing a tyre, stacking hay and backing a trailer, all against the clock.

Demonstration, fencing and stock handling areas were abuzz with activity, overseen by many visitors who took advantage of ideal conditions to view Fieldays from above on Volcanic Air Safari helicopter joyrides.

The action, innovation and shopping continues at Fieldays tomorrow, running through until 5pm on Saturday.

Ends.

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