Fieldays veteran leads charge on his 58th time at the event
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Staunch Morrinsville farmer David Harris is about as keen on Fieldays as they come.
He was up in the frost and chill waiting at the gates at 6am and was first through to what many suspect will be one for the record books. He should know - he’s been coming every year since 1969.
Although he’s a traditional dairy farmer, he’s up with the times and ready to embrace new technology in the field, even down to using a digital ticket.
A long-time farmer, he wasn’t put off by a frosty start. He left the farm at 5am to beat traffic and score a park close to the gates.
“Last year, I came from Morrinsville and it took me two-and-a-half hours to get here. I have come every year. I just love the new ideas and there’s a lot of new technology coming through, it’s really good to keep up to date with it.
“It’s the one time you can come and see everything all in one place and catch up with people.”
He has been farming in Morrinsville for about seventy years now and reckoned the industry always has its ups and downs, but this year had a positive feeling.
Another veteran from the very first event was Neil Stephens, 78, and he reckons the event had “changed a lot” and grown a huge amount. He was on a mission to swap 15 pairs of his old socks for new ones at Back Country.
Travelling from Tīrau he had his alarm set for 4am, but that “got the fingers” and he had a sneaky sleep in until five. He had dairy farmed for 29 years and more recently had switched to raising chickens.
Miriam Monk was another agricultural fan bundled up for an early start. Having previously worked at Ruakura AgResearch, she had been involved in Fieldays for “half her life” as an exhibitor and punter.
“I just love it. It brings back so many old memories and it feels familiar coming here. I was speaking to someone earlier and he was saying, and I agree, that people don’t realise how important agriculture is.
“We’re supporting the country in so many ways as well as all the innovation and food production we do. I don’t understand how people don’t appreciate it.”
On her shopping list were some new gloves and some orthopaedic inserts. Mostly she was ready to soak up the sun and the good vibe.
Some of the furthest travellers were George and Boyd Jones, who had jumped in the car at 4.30am to make the drive down from Warkworth. They also happened to look the most prepared for the brisk weather and were astonished to see kids wandering around in crocs.
They had missed the last few years of Fieldays and were eager to see if it had become more family friendly so they could bring their kids next year. They were on the lookout for shoe polish and a raincoat.
Elizabeth and Ross Millington had managed to get the kids out of bed with only “a few tantrums”. Ross was on the lookout for a new ute and the girls were after some “bright pink” tack for their new horse, purchased just on Tuesday for daughter Cricket.
Dairy farmers from Paeroa, they reckoned people were in a good position, but farmers were still a “bit shy”.
They all said traffic had flowed on their way in - although a Fieldays official said they had heard traffic was starting to back up around Mystery Creek and some workers would be late in.
The crowds weren’t as big outside the gates this year, whether due to the cold or traffic slowing people down on the Fieldays opening morning, but the general consensus was the day is promising to be a beaut.