Elmore Field Days brought the Elmore Events Centre to life for another year from Tuesday, October 1, to Thursday, October 3.
Filled with everything agriculture, the event saw thousands of people through the gates over the three-day festivity.
With exhibitors from across the country, there was representation from a range of industries including harvesting machinery, irrigation, tillage, health, spraying and finance.
The Elmore Field Days team was thrilled to see so many faces at the site, seeing growth from previous years.
“We had exceptional crowds,” public relations officer John Giffin said.
“We’re extremely happy.
“Probably the best crowds we’ve seen in five, six years. We had three COVID years, then a flood year and then a very wet year.”
The 61st edition of the event welcomed attendees of all ages speaking with stallholders about their offerings, watching demonstrations and presentations, sampling products and enjoying the food options on offer.
While businesses with bigger ticket items, like tractors, had more conversations than sales, smaller equipment and general interest stallholders were impressed with the reception.
“They were probably getting more inquiries rather than sales,” Mr Giffin said.
“People are just tightening their belt at the moment because of frost-affected crops ... they’re still buying the small gear, but the bigger items are just on hold just for the moment to see how the year pans out.
“For (businesses with smaller products), it was a ripper field days.”
The team enjoyed welcoming attendees of all ages, including children who were entertained by activities like face painting, a petting zoo, balloon art and camel rides.
Entry for under-12s was free, making it an affordable way to spend the school holidays.
“The kids were having a ball,” Mr Giffin said.
“If the kids are having fun, then Mum and Dad are having a breather too.
“Once you’re in the field days, it’s pretty much free, just buy a bit of tucker and have fun.”
Seasoned pros and newbies alike were welcomed into all the agricultural action.
Among them were animal health business Genesis Industries’ Marlin Walsh and Noel Forrest, who attended for their first and 25th and final time respectively.
Sales representative for Victoria, Tasmania and south-western NSW, Mr Forrest first came to Elmore Field Days in 2000, just weeks into his new job.
“Twenty-four years ago, no-one knew who we were,” he said.
“You’d wander in, and they’d go, ‘Genesis who?’
“We’ve developed, made a lot of new products and expanded our business. It was me, and now we’ve got three, four wandering around.”
He credits events like Elmore Field Days for building exposure for the company’s products, as well as providing insight into what customers are looking for.
“It’s made people aware of what we’ve got,” he said.
“You’ve just gotta be out there and put yourself forward. You find down the track, people will come back to you.
“You get a feel of what the market’s up to and how the season’s going.”
Mr Forrest is ready to put down the tools and hand over the field days baton to other staff as he heads into retirement.
His biggest word of wisdom to fresh faces in the industry, working at events like Elmore Field Days, is to put yourself out there.
“I’m getting probably to the age where I should stay home a bit more,” he said.
“The best advice is: if you don’t ask, you’ll never know if they want the stuff. A lot of salespeople get frightened of asking.
“(There’s a) 50 per cent chance they’ll say yes or no. If you don’t ask, you don’t know.”
An important part of the Elmore Field Days is the local connection, including through initiatives like the Community Coffee Shop.
A volunteer-run project, the cafe supports a range of schools and organisations like Rochester Secondary College and Elmore Recreation Reserve.
“We’ve been doing that since day dot,” Mr Giffin said.
“It’s a social outing for most of them, they just enjoy getting out there and doing what they do each year for the community.”
The work of volunteers ensures the huge event can run, with hundreds of hands on deck throughout the lead-up and pack down, as well as over the three days.
Mr Giffin and the field days crew credit the volunteers for putting on such a smooth event.
“We had 500 to 600 volunteers,” he said.
“It takes a lot of volunteers to run the event ... a lot of organising and everyone gets the benefit from it.
“We’d really like to thank them.”