HMFD | About Us

About Us

Welcome to Henty Machinery Field Days, home of Australia’s premier mixed farming event. Located in the heart of the nation’s food bowl in southern NSW, Henty Machinery Field Days is an agribusiness supermarket attracting more than 60,000 visitors each year.

Henty Machinery Field Days is now regarded as southern Australia’s single biggest agricultural event, showcasing the latest in machinery and farm equipment, outdoors and camping products, farm produce, agronomy, country lifestyle, government and health services, agribusiness and finance services.

The not-for-profit event is farmer driven and run by a board of seven co-operative members, all from southern NSW and involved with agriculture, and are supported by 90-plus members of the field days co-operative. Henty Machinery Field Days celebrated 50 years in 2013 after being founded as a one-day header school at the Henty showground in 1963.

The 2019 Henty Machinery Field Days on September 17-19 will feature more than 1200 sites and over 800 exhibitors on the permanent 105ha site.

Meet Our Team

Nigel Scheetz - Chair

Nigel Scheetz was initially appointed to the board in 2004 and is the third generation to serve on the HMFD Co-operative. Nigel, his wife Kerryn and son Lachlan produce cereal crops, run trade cattle, Merinos and prime lambs on their Culcairn property.
He has been involved with the field days from a young age, and in turn, his sons, Lachy, Austin and Tom, are all involved as younger members. Nigel, 49, was involved with traffic control during the field days and assists with the logistics and VIP area.
“The field days has always played an important role providing our exhibitors with the opportunity to be at the forefront and display new information, techniques and technology for agriculture,’’ he said.
“We have a great group of young people involved with the field days – around 15 young farmers aged under 25 and all sharing a passion for agriculture.
“Our older members have a real love for the industry and we welcome them to share their experience, knowledge and skills as mentors for our younger members.
“Even though many regions have been experiencing tough conditions for some time, agriculture is still exciting with buoyant livestock and good commodity prices.’’

Belinda Anderson - Chief Executive Officer

Pulletop farmer Belinda Anderson was appointed as the Henty Machinery Field Days first female chief executive officer in 2013. Belinda has worked in the role of company secretary for the co-operative since 2011, and has stepped to the CEO’s position.
A sheep and grain producer from Pulletop, Belinda farms an 1295 hectare family property with husband Garry and their four children and Garry’s parents. The family crop 650ha of cereals and oilseeds and run 3000 first cross ewes.
Belinda started an administrative career with the Wagga Wagga Pastures Protection Board in 1988 as a junior clerk, finishing in 2008 as senior customer services officer. “I spent three years working on the farm and studying before taking up the administrative role at Henty,’’ Belinda said.
Living just 25 minutes from the field days site meant the Anderson family have rarely missed the event. “The kids love it, I like the social side while Garry always likes to have a plan, do the research and compare prices,’’ Belinda said.
“The field days have grown extensively since I first attended in 1984 as a student from St Pauls College, Walla Walla, and to now have the opportunity to help members and volunteers organise such an integral community event is exciting,’’ she said.

Heather Barrett - Office Co-Ordinator

Born and raised in Henty, Heather Barrett has worked in the Henty Machinery Field Days office for the past 30 years.

In her role as office co-ordinator, Heather has watched the field days grow and evolve. “Out of the blue one day, Doug (former CEO Doug Meyer) rang up and asked if I would like to work as a personal assistant,’’ Heather said.
Heather started in the office part-time from May to June, then full-time to field days time. “After the field days I work as presiding officer at Billabong High School, Culcairn, overseeing the school certificate and higher school certificate examinations.’’
Each year, Heather handles the site applications for Lyn Jacobsen and Leonie Kohlhagen in the ladies lifestyle pavilion and natural fibre fashion awards. “I’ve enjoyed working with the ladies in the office over the years and the 22 years I worked with Doug and the board members,’’ Heather said.
Accompanied by Chris Scheetz, Stephen Zweck and Sharline Bahr, Heather travelled to the New Zealand National Agricultural Field Days at Hamilton, New Zealand, in June last year.
Outside of the field days, Heather lives in Henty with husband Colin and is a long serving treasurer of the Henty Evening CWA.

Heather Bidgood Accounts Manager

Raised on a beef property near Wodonga, Heather Bidgood joined the Henty team two years ago as accounts manager.

After leaving school, Heather worked for 17 years in a clerical and sales role for Haberechts Retravision in Albury. She then spent four years working alongside her father, John Bidgood, on their beef cattle property, buying and finishing cattle for the feedlot market.

Heather moved back into the mainstream workforce, taking a part-time position at Designer Stone, in Wodonga, three years ago and continues to work at the business.

Two years ago she took on the part-time role of accounts manager at Henty. “Henty is a lovely rural environment to work in,’’ Heather said.

“They are a fantastic, ethusiastic team with a strong vision for the future of the field days. “The event is in a strong position going forward for the next 50 years.”

Kim Woods - Media Manager

Kim joined the Henty Machinery Field Days team in 2012 as media manager after spending two decades reporting on the event as a rural reporter for The Border Mail and The Weekly Times.
An award winning senior journalist with The Weekly Times for 14 years, Kim was based in the Albury news bureau and specialised in livestock markets, stud stock, dry land and irrigated cropping, dairy, horticulture, real estate and general interest.
After a 30 year career in print journalism, Kim established her own digital media business, Outcross Media, at Albury in April, 2012. She now specialises in freelance journalism, photography, video, website content and script writing for the stud stock, agribusiness and mainstream business sectors.

Bec Clancy - Site Liaison Manager

Bec joined the office staff at the Henty Machinery Field Days in April 2013.
She and husband Denis Clancy have four children, and operate a farming enterprise at Pleasant Hills.
“I spent 12 years at home raising a family and helping Denis before undertaking a Diploma of Rural Business at the Riverina Institute of TAFE,” Bec said.
“I’d always had a keen interest in farming and agriculture so I jumped at the opportunity to work at the field days. “My role involves booking in the exhibitors and finding sites for them.
“The lead up to the field days is hectic but the staff members are easy to work with and I really enjoy the work place.”