Wet weather did not hold back a strong third day turnout at this year's Elmore Field Days, which ran from October 3 to 5.
Spirits remained high at last week’s Elmore Field Days, despite rain over the first two days making the ground boggy underfoot.
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The site received 44.8mm of rain during the week but fine weather on the third day brought out a crowd who had travelled from around the state and beyond.
Elmore Field Days president Scott Nichol said several thousand patrons still attended the popular annual event and reinforced the widely held sentiment that rain was always welcomed by the local farming community.
“We needed some rain, so we won’t say no to it,” Mr Nichol said.
“We still had great feedback from exhibitors and patrons and it’s just great to see the site full again.”
Haeusler’s apprenticeship coordinator Ben Evans took a similar view to the wet weather.
“The rain always cheers everyone up,” Mr Evans said.
“Believe it or not, that brings a lot of interest in our machinery.
“We have found that the X9 combine harvester is a high-demand machine, and with harvest coming up, there are a lot of inquiries.”
Burnie Teasdale of O’Connor’s Farm Machinery in Shepparton said there had been a lot of positivity despite the rain.
“Even though it’s wet underfoot, the rain that we got the last few days is worth millions to the industry,” Mr Teasdale said.
“But the inquiry for tractors today has been enormous.”
Mark Henderson and Mark Carver at the New Holland display which won Best Overall Exhibit.
Elmore Field Days executive committee junior vice-president Clara Holmberg said that, with all things considered, it was a “pretty good” turnout this year.
Ms Holmberg is a recent graduate of Charles Sturt University and works as a fertiliser agronomist, and although it was her third year on the committee, this year’s event was the first she had attended.
“First, COVID stopped us for two years, and then I worked in the USA for another year,” she said.
One of Ms Holmberg’s most enjoyable tasks was to deliver the eight exhibitor awards which were announced on Wednesday, October 4 and included four awards sponsored by Country News.
“We spent Thursday morning handing out the awards in person,” she said.
“When the winner of the best recreation and leisure area found out they won, they were pretty chuffed.”
With most of the machinery and temporary infrastructure being removed during the coming week, Mr Nichol took time to thank those who had helped coordinate the event’s set up and pack down.
“It’s a pretty big effort from all the volunteers and our staff,” he said.
“It’s so good to see everyone jump in and get it all done.
“To all of them I send a big thank you, as well as to the exhibitors who came.”
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