THE 36th annual Newdegate Machinery Field Days, held last week, lived up to its ‘business’ reputation.
Despite ice-like winds on the Wednesday and a few showers on the Thursday, big crowds drifted through the exhibitor lanes, reflecting an upbeat industry.
Although there’s no official call on the season, there’s a quiet confidence of progressing through the next four to six testing weeks with the hope of good finishing rains.
High commodity prices and an average to above-average season, will create a perfect storm of confidence and exhibitors reported serious enquiry on products needed for harvest and the 2019 seeding season.
According to field days sponsorship and promotions manager Helen Steicke, crowd numbers were on par with last year, with food vans providing evidence of healthy crowds.
“This has been another successful event which should focus on the community,” Mr Steicke said.
“Our volunteers pre and post-event have been absolutely outstanding in getting on with what needs to be done.
“An event such as this does help to spotlight the lengths country towns go to for basic survival.
“If we didn’t have the field days I don’t know what this community would look like, because it is such an important fundraiser for community needs.
“Almost everything we see in the town has been the result of funding from the field days, which really underlines the extent of the almost year-round work that happens in WA rural communities.”
AFGRI Equipment marketing manager Jacques Coetzee said the first day presented an “awesome turnout” to the company’s display, which won the ‘Best Heavy Industrial Award’.
“The weather was interesting to say the least but it didn’t stop enquiry at our display and we have got some business to do in the coming weeks in terms of headers sales and with our new self-propelled boomsprayers with the new John Deere Exact Apply nozzle system.”
Ausplow general manager Chris Farmer also gave the field days the thumbs-up, saying enquiry had been steady on both days.
“We had a lot of genuine interest particularly with the changes we have made to the Multistream Series II air seeder,” Mr Farmer said.
“Subject to the season finishing off well down here, we could be taking several orders for the Multistream and DBS bars.”
Croplands WA manager John Griffiths said he was pleased with strong interest in the company’s new C Series self-propelled boomsprayers.
“We have been talking with a lot of existing owners who are now thinking about upgrading their models,” Mr Griffiths said.
AgWest Machinery dealer principal Bruce Cunningham, who exhibited for the first time, said it had been a worthwhile effort.
“We were flat out on the Wednesday but even the smaller crowd on the Thursday provided us with follow-ups, so it has vindicated our decision to attend.”