Wimmera Machinery Field Days: Bumper season a big boost

AFTER a bumper season, this year’s Wimmera Field Days are shaping as the biggest and most successful in years.

Glory days: Wimmera Machinery Field Days. Picture: supplied

AFTER a bumper season, this year’s Wimmera Field Days are shaping as the biggest and most successful in years.

With every motel and hotel in the Horsham area and right down as far as Hall’s Gap reportedly booked out for the period of the show (March 7 to 9), first-time president Peter Moore is confident the crowds will be there and in high spirits and that the displays will not disappoint.

“Things are looking really good after an excellent season here and hopefully it’s put a lot of money back into the agricultural sector and we’re expecting a really good field days,” Moore says.

In the action: Russell Heard and son Lachlan, from Wonwondah, look at a Claas 760 Lexion, Lake Bolac Claas Centre at last year’s event.

He reports some major changes have been made for this year’s event, the 55th, with some big exhibitors expected to launch larger and revamped sites and others, such as local Case-International Harvester dealer O’Connors, setting up in new locations.

Come back: Wimmera Machinery Field Days president Peter Moore is calling on people to return to what he is promising will be one of the biggest shows in recent years.

“We’re really happy with their confidence in us to make changes like that,” he says.

The field days committee, made up of volunteers, is also delighted more money has been invested in improvements, such as new public toilets, at the purpose-built site at the Wimmera Events Centre at Longerenong near Horsham.

Moore’s biggest hope is that many farmers and others who have not been to the Wimmera Field Days recently will attend.

“Some people haven’t been to a field days in years and I’d encourage them to come out and have a look because they might learn something new, or they might see something they need to help their operation,” he says.

Dale Bibby and daughters Talyra and Tabatha, from Navarre, look at a New Holland CR8.90.

He expects the total value of equipment on display will far exceed the $300 million figure estimated at recent past Wimmera Field Days.

“A big header costs over $800,000 retail now and you only need a couple of them on site and you are right up there,” he says.

It’s estimated the Wimmera region will benefit to the tune of $3 million in financial rub-off, with more than $50 million in deals done over the three days.

“I’m hoping for even higher than that ($50 million),” says Moore. “For the last couple of years we have had droughts and a lot of farmers have been just sitting back and minding their money, and hopefully they have got enough money this year to buy that new piece of equipment they have been sorely needing.”

And what will the new president himself, a Horsham cropping farmer, be most interested in?

“I’ll be looking at some new sprayers, and some of that larger equipment that everyone seems to need these days. Farms are getting larger and you need larger equipment to get over them now,” he says.

Apart from the latest whiz-bang machinery and about 1000 exhibitors from around Australia and overseas, the non-profit event, one of country Australia’s largest agricultural and agribusiness trade shows, will again feature forums, demonstrations, trials, field days discounts, gourmet food and wine, and lots of free entertainment for children.