Geoff and Robin were up and away relatively early today to attend the Central Districts Field Days Show at Manfield Park, Feilding. This show has over 500 exhibitors all vying for a slice of the rural market, and 40,000 visitors were expected through the gates. “Don’t come back with a tractor, or a ride-on mower”, I warned Robin, as they drove away.
A Senior’s entry ticket each saved them both a few dollars, and they were given a “goodie bag” packed full of brochures. What to see first? No contest really, as the Tractor Pull competition was happening right in front of their eyes. Tractor Pulling is gaining momentum in New Zealand and is proving to be popular with competitors and spectators alike. Highly modified tractors take turns pulling another tractor loaded onto the sled leased from the National Field Days Society. The pulling tractor begins the pull with the weight rolling and ends up dragging the weight on the sled pan. The weight is transferred from the rolling position to the sled pan thereby transferring more weight to the sled pan and increasing the resistance. Computer control ensures the weight is transferred evenly down the track and applied it at a rate in accordance to the tractors class. This allows tractors large and small, standard and modified, to pull the same sled on the same track in a competitively even match
Tractor Pull competition
There were plenty of other things to check out, tractors, cars, all sorts of rural farming equipment, even a few caravans and motorhomes to look through. There were friends to meet and greet, and they even bumped into a family member or two, out enjoying the Field Days as well. Lunch consisting of a hot dog and a punnet of chips was supplemented by various freebies, milk and yoghurt from the Fonterra stand, and a hot sausage wrapped in bread from ANZ bank stand, so they didn’t go hungry. Robin and Geoff arrived back at Otaki, with tired weary legs from a full day wandering around in the hot sun.
If it was good enough for the pair of them to have a “boy’s day out”, it was good enough for me and Eileen to go out together for lunch. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But in reality, it wasn’t. Where to go – this cafe, or that cafe? Or maybe that other one? Eileen looked the menus up on her tablet, and we finally made our choice and drove north to the Quarter Acre Cafe in Ohau. But using a lady’s prerogative to change her mind, when we arrived at the cafe, our choices were quite different to what had taken our fancy on screen. Delivered to our table was chicken liver pate on toast for Eileen, and a chicken Quesadilla for me. Both very tasty, and nicely presented. And our coffees were served piping hot, which doesn’t always happen in some cafes.
Lunch for the ladies
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