Hundreds gathered to watch the rounds of the tractor pull competition at Fieldays 2024.
Malisha Kumar is a Hamilton-based multimedia journalist for the Waikato Herald. She has spent most of her life in Auckland.
OPINION
From an Auckland city slicker to a Waikato farm girl; that’s how I felt as I walked through the grounds of Fieldays for the first time.
I spent 22 years of my life in Auckland Central and despite having lived in New Zealand since I was born, I heard about Fieldays only about a year ago.
Funnily enough, it was when I had to write about it while working in Whakatāne. From what I gathered then, it was mostly a huge event for farmers and those interested in the agricultural and technology world.
It looked like a congregation of ants from above, but as I walked through the gates I quickly realised the ants were people - and there were LOTS of them - walking through the long aisles of exhibitors, gathering at popular sites like Swanndri, and queuing to pay for their bargains or food.
It reminded me of the fancy Newmarket mall in Auckland - except this was outdoors and on grass and people walk around in gumboots and hunting clothing, instead of high heels and Gucci sweaters.
The lines for the food courts were massive and went out to where the exhibited stalls and footpath were.
The number of people was overwhelming for me. I sort of expected the thousands of people, but actually being amongst them made me feel like I was lost at an outdoor festival, and would be trampled on if I didn’t watch my way.
On the upside: Fieldays is a great way to get your daily step count up - I left the venue having done more than 15,000.
Despite having little inside knowledge of the primary industries, I could tell a lot of thought had gone into the set-up of the different hubs, which all looked interesting and inviting - even to a person from outside the sector.
My favourite was the forestry hub because it looked like a pretty and green environment. It showcased different plants and the scent of chopped wood and the outdoors greeted me as I walked in.
The Innovation Hub was also quick to grab my attention as it displayed so many great inventions, ranging from cutting-edge technology and farm machinery to sustainable harvesting options.
Before going to Fieldays, I had heard this competition was a particular fan favourite.
Watching from the crowd, I quickly realised why: There’s something very invigorating about watching the agricultural machinery compete.
I obviously know a tractor can pull some hefty weight - I now live in a rural Waikato town and tend to see tractors quite often, but I never actually put in the time to have a closer look.
I was watching a round of the competition eagerly excited and maybe even healed parts of my inner child, knowing I would’ve loved to see this as a 6-year-old - I was a bit of a tomboy.
Overall, Fieldays was much more than I expected but quite a fun-filled and informative experience. I will definitely be back next year.
For fellow first-time Fieldays goers, I have some tips:
Clothing - Most of the event is outdoors so make sure you have clothing suited for the temperature of the day. It’s not a runway show, so the Gucci/Louis Vuitton/Versace sweaters are best left in the closet. If you want to blend in with the crowd, opt for literally any outdoor brand.
Wear sensible shoes - Leave your heels and flash sneakers at home. Fieldays requires a lot of walking, sometimes in muddy terrain, so ensure you have the correct footwear because you might be walking around for three to five hours.
Keep hydrated - You will definitely need to keep up your fluid intake - It’s a lot more walking than you think.
Fieldays Family Activation Zone - This is for some entertainment for families at the event and it offers rock climbing, a safari train, axe throwing, and an adventure obstacle course.
Multimedia journalist Malisha Kumar attended the annual Fieldays event in 2024 for the first time.
Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.
