Field Days Fun: Clydesdale rides are always a family favourite at the Northland Field Days. PHOTO/FILE
Field Days Fun: Clydesdale rides are always a family favourite at the Northland Field Days. PHOTO/FILE
From lawnmower races to Clydesdale rides, the Northland Field Days have brought the country to town for 34 years and while the show might be getting bigger the country fair atmosphere hasn't changed a bit.
"As one of the largest regional Field Days of its type in New Zealand, the Northland Field Days are renowned for their energy, their vibrant demonstrations and exhibitions, and – of course – their unique and often hilarious competitions," said Field Days president Lew Duggan.
Starting life as an event run by the Dargaville Jaycees, the Northland Field Days gained immediate support from the local agricultural community, with some 80 exhibitors joining the inaugural show.
Fun For All: Moerewa dairy farmer Bruce Vendt and his 20-month-old son Kaleb check out a really big tractor during last year's Northland Field Days at Dargaville. PHOTO/FILE
Run entirely by volunteers, the Northland Field Days were a roaring success; offering a chance for local agricultural enterprises and the wider community to connect in a fun, safe, welcoming environment.
This year marks the 34th Northland Field Days event and while the show itself has retained the same energy and community spirit, there have been many improvements for exhibitors and visitors alike.
"The event outgrew the original show grounds, and with the shift in location came the ability to attract larger crowds than ever before."
Buyers And Sellers: Kayl Jackson, left, and Jared Dean check out what's on offer during last year's Northland Field Days. PHOTO/FILE
The Northland Field Days are now an incorporated society, registered with NZ Charities Commission and providing community grants for scholarships and research across a variety of sectors.
Many of the original Northland Field Day events still take centrestage too – with good old Kiwi attractions such as cutting horses, tractor pull competitions, sheep shearing shows and of course the popular sheep dog trials.
The Northland Field Days have a strong family focus too, with a Family Pass available for only $30 and a range of attractions for the smallest visitors including a mobile farm, sheep racing, Clydesdale rides, and fairground rides and delicious food stalls to top it all off.
The Dargaville Fire Brigade will be back running a mock firefighting course for the kids - an interactive and fun way for younger visitors to get fire wise!
Buy your tickets online or on the day, join the team on the March 1-3 to celebrate 34 years of community spirit.
Passionate science student attends OUASSA Harriet Spoelstra is a student with a love of science and her passion has led to a once in a lifetime experience at Otago University.
Science Student: Harriet Spoelstra.
The year 13 Ruawai College student was one of only 70 selected throughout New Zealand to attend the Otago University Advanced School Sciences Academy (OUASSA) programme aimed at students with a passion for science and the potential to excel in their final year NCEA scholarship science exams.
"It was a great opportunity to meet new people and to experience what it may be like studying science at a tertiary level. We had to choose two major subjects to learn about throughout the week," said Harriet.
"My first subject was marine science in which we conducted experiments on different marine species that we had collected ourselves from the beach or from dredging the seafloor when we went out into the harbour on the small university research vessel.
"These experiments included investigating the internal biological clock of different shellfish and looking at the number of parasites that had infected cockle shellfish. I especially liked looking at species under the microscope and dissecting a large cancer crab.
"My other major subject was genetics. In this subject we genetically modified E. Coli bacteria so that they became resistant to two different types of antibiotics. We also had a pretend murder mystery and we had to test people's DNA to find the identity of the murderer."
Throughout the week the students took part in a variety of activities including visiting the Otago museum and going on a wildlife cruise.
Every morning students attended a seminar on a wide range of topics including peeking and poking at atoms with laser a light, photography for documentaries, physics in karate and philosophy in science.
"A main topic throughout the week was science communication and every night we had a session about our chosen form of science communication, mine being blogging.
"I thoroughly enjoyed OUASSA and I encourage any student who may be thinking even just a little about studying science at university to apply for OUASSA or another camp as it is a great opportunity and can help you make that big decision about your future."
Swimming sports Champs The annual Ruawai College School Swimming Sports was held recently and was once again a huge success in spite of poor weather.
Swimming Champions: Back from left, Klay Connett, Harriet Spoelstra, Hunter Connett, Abby Blaxland, Jaydon Conett; front left, Piper Sterling, Ben Watkins, Kayla Llewell-Huriwaka, Emma Ashford.
Ruawai College Principal Helena Thompson said the event was well attended by students and supported by the community.
"Even though the weather was not the greatest, our students shared perseverance and resilience throughout the day.
"School spirit was evident as students proudly showed off their house colours while chanting for their peers could be heard from the other side of the school.
"It is always inspiring to witness the high skill level of our local Dargaville swimming club swimmers. A huge thanks to the PTA and all the volunteers who helped out, as this is what helps to make the day successful."
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