Henty Field Days 2019 looming

One of Australia’s premier agricultural field days, the Henty Machinery Field Days (HMFD), is set to return next week from September 17 to 19 with organisers expecting it to be another bumper event.

Organisers said timely autumn rains across southern NSW have presented a buoyant outlook for the 56th Henty Machinery Field Days. The 105ha grounds is expected to be at capacity, and the event is expected to draw a crowd from almost every Australian state keen to inspect almost $120 million worth of machinery and goods on site.

Exhibitors representing more than 3500 companies will display their products on 1200 sites in what organisers claim is now the single largest agricultural and open-air event in southern Australia.

HMFD Chief executive officer, Belinda Anderson, said the HMFD team would present an event maintaining a focus on agriculture and machinery.

“The interest in the field days from exhibitors and visitors alike continues to grow year-on-year with the site being the biggest its ever been in terms of physical area,” she said.

“The HMFD team works hard to ensure Henty maintains its mantle of the friendliest field days, and our exhibitor and visitor experience continues to be enhanced.”

Visitors to the 2019 Henty Machinery Field Days can look forward to a series of exciting programs and exhibitions including daily sheep and yard dog trials, Baker Seed Co agronomy demonstration site, 2019 Natural Fibre Fashion Awards, vintage farm machinery, reptile awareness display, and the Farm Gate Produce Market pavilion with cooking demonstrations and entertainment.

New to the field days this year will be the AgriFutures NextGen seminar facilitated by NSW-ACT AgriFutures Rural Woman of the Year, Jo Palmer.

Guest speakers will cover the topics of women in agriculture, future proofing towns and businesses, agricultural innovation, machinery of the future and solving critical industry challenges.

The field days will be officially opened on Tuesday, September 17 at 11am by AgriFutures Australia chair Kay Hull AM, with a welcome address by new HMFD chairman Nigel Scheetz.

The opening will include the presentation of the prestigious Henty Machine of the Year Award, this year celebrating its 45th anniversary.

There are ten machines entered into this year’s award, among them hay rakes, balers, wheel loaders, sprayers, chaser bins and more.

Last year, Schinckel Hayrakes’ Next F Series V-rake took home the accolade.

The award was open to all machines on site released into the Australian market in the previous 12 months, except tractors and harvesters.

This year’s entries include:

A Best Australian Designed and Manufactured Machine award will be presented on Thursday, September 19.

In addition, HMFD Exhibitor Awards will be given to businesses with the most impressive site or stand displays.

The exhibitor awards will be presented on Wednesday, September 18 to the winners of the Best Outdoor Large Commercial, Best Outdoor General and Best Indoor Exhibitor sites (Country Lifestyle and Farm Gate Produce Market).

While the field days focuses on machinery and agricultural technology, it also has other lifestyle-focused attractions to cater to all members of the family.

A Henty Natural Fibre Fashion Awards showcase designs using at least 70 per cent natural fibres with the winners announced about 1pm Thursday. There will be fashion parades featuring garments from exhibitors daily at 11am and 2.30pm over the three days.

The Farm Gate Produce Market will feature cooking demonstrations by chef Michelle Matusch using gourmet products direct from regional producers.

Other attractions include hourly machinery demonstrations, helicopter joy flights, and a vintage machinery display courtesy of the Henty and District Antique Farm Machinery Club.

Location: Henty-Cookardinia Rd, Henty NSW 2658

Dates: September 17-19, 2019

Admission: (at the gate) Adult (aged 16 and over) -$22, children (aged 12-16) - $5, children under-12 – free (when accompanied by an adult) Discounted tickets available online at hmfd.com.au

Opening times: 8am to 5pm everyday