LOCATION
Waimumu 12 kms
from Gore
WHEN
12 - 14 FEB 2020
Southern Field Days has been running since 1982 and these are the volunteers that are making it happen this year.
Warren farms in the Waimumu area in partnership with his family on a 600ha deer farm. Warren has been a member of Southern Field Days since 2004 and is Vice-Chairman. He has also been involved with Waitane Young Farmers since his school days and in July 2015 was made a Life Member of the club.
Sharon is married to Laurie, they run a family sheep & beef farm in Waikaka. They have 2 sons, with one working on the farm. Sharon worked in the banking industry after leaving school. After their marriage they set upon growing their farming business and now have an intensive sheep and beef farm including fully performance recorded Hereford, Romney, Romex, Romdale and Texel studs.
Sharon was full time farming for 25 years. Sharon went on to work as branch Support Officer with FMG and then five years as a Rural Manager before joining the Southland Field Days.
Steve dairy farms along with his wife Tracy in Awarua. Steve has been involved with the Southern Field Days for the past 4 years. He is a member of the Waitane Young Farmers and a volunteer fire fighter, Steve is also involved with the Dairy Industry Awards and Federated Farmers.
Logan and his wife Nicole live on a sheep and beef farm near Manderville, they have two children, Trelise and Max.
Andy runs a sheep and beef farm at Cattle Flat with his wife Shannon and their two boys, Theo and Thomas. He is Announcer of the Southern Field Days, having been involved with the event since 2004. Andy is an avid armchair sports critic, along with being involved with Balfour Theatre Company productions.
Andrew runs the family sheep and cropping farm of 1650 hectares with his wife Katherine. They have two studs, TEFRom and Suftex and a commercial flock, totaling 18000 stock units. Andrew & Katherine have three young boys who love going around the farm with them. In Andrew’s spare time he enjoys hunting and playing soccer.
Bev and her husband Alvin farm on a sheep and beef property at Crookston, near Tapanui and Bev works full time as an accountant for Rural Business Solutions Gore Limited. They have two grown up children – Lisa who is currently studying law at Canterbury University and Bradley who is stock manager on a sheep and beef stud near Fairlie.
Bev has been involved with Southern Field Days since the eighties and was Secretary for a number of years.
Blair lives just out of Gore with his partner Jacqui and their three sons. Blair has been working for Otapiri Downs Partnership as a tractor driver/engineer on the sheep and beef property for the past 2 years. Before that he was building and installing automated machinery into freezing works around New Zealand and Australia for Scott Technology (Dunedin).
Brent lives at Ferndale with Donna, on a 170 ha farm which is leased out to neighbours at present. He has been involved with the Southern Field Days since 1982. He is working at the present time at a local transport dispatching bulk trucks & bulkies.
David farms at St Patricks near Balfour with his wife Melissa and three children on a mixed cropping, intensive breeding and finishing property which also includes some contracting. David is also an active member and President of the Gore Aero Club.
Don farms just out of Gore with his wife Jess who is also on the committee and their 3 children. In addition to running their sharemilking business Don also oversees 10 farming operations from employment and everyday strategy through to capital development and projects. Being involved in Southern Field Days for Don is an opportunity to be part of something bigger that gives back so much to the community.
Garth lives in Waimumu on a 50 acre block with his wife Wendy and their 3 kids, Olivia, Emma, and Ross. Garth works for Seed Force as a territory manager, he has been on the Southern Field Days committee since 1997 holding the chairman position in 2006 – 2008.
Grant has been involved with the Southern Field Days since its inception and in December 2017 was made a life Member. He farms a small block in Te Tipua with his wife Lou, and drives a stock truck for the local transport. Grant was Chairman for 6 years from 1994-98.
Jack is the Southern Field Days Caretaker. He is married to Gillian and they run motels in Gore.
Jess farms 10 kilometers north east of Gore with her husband Don and their 3 kids, where they are 50/50 sharemilkers milking 750 cows. Jess enjoys being part of the rural community, Jess has had a lot of involvement in the Southland/Otago Dairy Industry awards and was a past member of Waitane Young Farmers. Jess has been part of the Southern Field Days team since 2012 and loves being part of a wonderful team that puts on such an awesome event, bringing people to Gore and wider southland.
Justine and her husband Richard farm at Balfour on her paren’ts farm. They have 3 children, Miea, Abigail and Max. She has her own Dorset Down stud and enjoys spending time on the farm. Justine has been part of the Southern Field Days committee since she was 21, she is publicity officer and enjoys the challenges and new skills that she has picked up along the way. Justine is a keen netballer and involved in the Balfour theatre company.
Leonie lives in Waikaka on a dairy farm with her husband Blair. She grew up in Te Tipua on a sheep & beef property.
Leonie currently works for Ballance Agri-Nutrients & graduated with a Bachelor of Agriculture from Lincoln University. She enjoys being out & about, involved in the rural community which lead her into joining the Southern Field Days committee. She is tasked with running the Southern Man Competition.
Stan is married to Judy with 2 grown daughters and 2 grandchildren. They are sheep and beef farmers 6kms from Gore. Stan has been Chairman for 3 Field Days from 2000 – 2004 and has been a part of the committee since 1995. In his spare time he enjoys overseas travel & time spent with family & friends, enjoying a meal and a wine or two.
Chris farms just out of Gore with his wife Desiree in an dairy equity partnership milking 500 cows, with their two kids, Danielle and Andrew. This will be Chris’ first year with the Southern Field Days and is looking forward to being involved.
Tracy is an import from the North Island, originating from Taumarunui bringing with her some much needed new blood to the deep south! She is married to Steve whom is also on the Southern Field Days Committee. They have two kids, Ruby and Gus. Tracy and Steve are 50:50 sharemilking 800 cows in Awarua. She is a fulltime Mum and wife, part time farmer, chef, accountant, taxi driver and cleaner. Tracy enjoys the refreshing positivity that the committee brings, and the dedication they have in putting together a magnificent event
Richard and wife Renee farm sheep, beef and deer on properties at Pukerau and Shingle creek, Central Otago. By day he’s the local Rabobank Manager which keeps life busy, as do his two daughters. This year will be Field Days number 4 for him.
Neil runs a venison operation on the family farm in Te Tipua with his partner Jenna.
Simon sharemilks 500 cows with wife Hilary and 3 children. After growing up on a sheep and beef farm Simon completed a BComAg at Lincoln University before entering the dairy industry. This is Simons first year on the Southern Field Days committee, he is looking forward to learning the ins and outs of organising such an event and looks forward to contributing to the event in the future.
Lisa farms in Waipahi with her husband Raymond and 2 sons Nic and Sean; on a sheep, beef and dairy farm. Lisa is a Life member of Otago/Southland Young Farmers, is the past Otago/Southland AgriKidsNZ Liason, on the Clinton School BOT, Chairman of the Clinton Community Pool Committee and a relief teacher when not on the farm or chasing the kids.
Mark has been on the Southern Field Days Committee since 1997, he was Chairman for 3 Field Days. He is married to Sonia and together they have 3 children. They farm in a mixed operation near Riversdale. They also run an agricultural contracting business which covers most aspects but predominantly Beet Harvesting.
Mark is also part of the Southern Tractor Pull Committee, is a past Chairman of Balfour Young Farmers and a past New Zealand ploughing champion which saw him compete in the World Ploughing Competition in France 2014.
