General News
8 August, 2024
Daniher intrigues field days crowd
Perfect weather, a not-to-be-missed guest speaker and a program boasting something for everyone resulted in last week's Mallee Machinery Field Days events being one of the best attended in years.
About 6500 passed through the gates for the two-day event which attracted people from a wide area, as well as 350 exhibitors, from as far afield as Western Australia.
A crowd drawcard was a display by a driverless or autonomous tractor provided by Traction Ag of Horsham.
Organisers found it difficult to pin down reasons for the continued success of the annual event, in a paddock north of Speed on the Sunraysia Highway and run for the past 40 years by Speed Lions Club.
Business manager Philip Down is delighted with this year's event and crowd numbers. Local clubs would benefit by about $70,000 for the two days' work.
The field days also resulted in a donation of $20,000 to help find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease, MND.
"It's an era of larger farms and dwindling population," Mr Down said.
"But people come year after year and they love it. I think the circular set-up and the relaxed atmosphere help bring people back.
"And we probably had the best weather in years, despite early morning frosts. A good winter's day is hard to beat."
Mr Down also said hearing, heart and skin cancer tests were among health checks available to everyone and proved popular.
"Farmers are known for their lack of regular medical checks but they will line up at the field days," he said.
Mr Down has attended every field days event and his father Les is one of two remaining foundation Speed Lions Club members, which now has 24 members.
Crowds gathered in a central area almost an hour before guest speaker, AFL great Terry Daniher, took to the microphone. Many lingered after to chat, eat and enjoy a break.
Mr Daniher, who grew up on a farm at Ungarie in central west NSW, urged people to appreciate the benefits of country life and not take these for granted.
His football career started with the Ungarie Magpies and he named many country footballers he had played with or come up against, including Geoff Burdett of Hopetoun and Tim Watson of Dimboola.
One of 11 children, all four boys made their mark on AFL football, especially with Essendon, while the girls in the family also earnt many sporting awards.
He had no qualms in labelling Essendon's match the Saturday before the field days as "bloody pathetic".
Mr Daniher said his brother Neale, who has MND, had helped raise $90 million towards finding a cure.
"He's had the illness for about 10 years and has fared better than most," he said.
"But every day two people are diagnosed with the disease and there's no cure yet."