Fieldays 40th colour at Mystery Creek

MEDIA RELEASE
11 June 2008

Fieldays 40th colour at Mystery Creek

It was a big day for the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest agricultural tradeshow today as the iconic National Fieldays 40th event roared into life at Mystery Creek Events Centre, South of Hamilton.

Speaking at the official opening of the event, Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Helen Clark, acknowledged the success of the event, saying that it was of great national and, indeed, international importance. The opening ceremony was a centre for celebrations of the 40th birthday of Fieldays with Ms Clark joined by the Hon Anand Satyanand, regional mayors, business leaders and founding members of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society.

Waikato personality ‘Possum’ stole the show with a super-sized chainsaw, leading the Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year finalists in a birthday anthem – chainsaw style. The Bachelors showed off their skills from the roof of the huge Mystery Creek Pavilion with the skies holding further attractions in the form of a New Zealand Airforce flyover. The birthday party themed ceremony concluded as a balloon kiwi marched across the Village Green with the New Zealand Army Band, opening a Fieldays-sized birthday gift complete with more balloons and streamers.

The Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year finalists were in action throughout the site during their first day of competition. Starting with the NZ Pork ‘Brekkie Bloke’ heat, the guys cooked up a storm in the Kiwi’s Best marquee demonstration kitchen, with finalist Lee Poulton impressing hungry Suzuki Cheerleaders with his unbeatable breakfast. The Bachelors further settled into the public life, meeting Fieldays visitors, before really putting themselves on show this afternoon as the cheerleaders returned to teach these rural romeos how to dance. Patrick Bellerby (25), from the

Hawkes Bay, impressed both judges and a large crowd of spectators, taking away the heat with judges scores of 9 and 10 with his enthusiastic performance. In the last heat of the day, the Fastest Fencer heat, Lee Poulton returned to winning form to take out the heat. Poulton commented that the heat was a tough one.

Fine, mild weather, along with an extended site and plenty to do brought 26,864 visitors through the Fieldays gates today. Fieldays’ 40th anniversary event continues tomorrow and runs through to Saturday 14 June 2008 with gates open from 8am to 5pm daily.

(Ends)

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