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.
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.’’
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.”
Site Address: 22 Lubkes Road, Henty NSW 2658
Postal Address: PO Box 107, HENTY NSW 2658
General Email: admin@hmfd.com.au
Site Information: applications@hmfd.com.au
Accounts: accounts@hmfd.com.au
Media: media@hmfd.com.au
Henty is located midway between Albury and Wagga Wagga on the Olympic Way