Fieldays kicks off with a hiss and a roar

Fieldays Fun: Waikato University Student Recruitment Adviser Hannah Brett with the antarctic suit that features at the university's outdoor marquee.

Tractors cruising through Hamilton can mean only one thing - the National Agricultural Fieldays are on. The country’s biggest annual agricultural event kicked off this morning in typical fashion, with thousands converging on Mystery Creek.

An estimated 120,000 people are expected to attend Fieldays from Wednesday June 15 - Saturday June 18, where more than 1000 agricultural exhibits and stalls are displaying.

Visitor numbers for day one are expected to exceed 27,000 and will continue to grow throughout the four-day event.

The University of Waikato has been a strategic partner of Fieldays for the past five years, and will showcase its agricultural research and development. The university has a long-standing association with Fieldays, as the first-ever Vice-Chancellor Sir Don Llewellyn helped establish the event in the 1960s.

To reflect this year's theme of 'Breaking Barriers to Productivity', the university is once again hosting its seminar series featuring speakers including Waikato University academics and students, Dr Johan Verbeek and PhD student Kyle Devey, as well as industry experts who will be discussing how new technologies can lead to more productive farms and make profit from what was once considered waste product.

The university also has a display stand promoting its research and expertise in the Premier Feature centre. Developments in adventure tourism, involving commercial pig hunting, and an innovative machine that can create an instant vintage wine. Students are available to discuss their work.

For more Fieldays interviews, visit our Video Gallery.

Photo Album

Fieldays 2011
The 43rd National Agricultural Fieldays kicked off today at Hamilton's Mystery Creek. The University of Waikato is once again a strategic partner for the fifth-year running. Check out the latest images from the four-day event, which will be held June 15 - 18.
15th June 2011