The Henty Machinery Field Days is now the single largest agricultural and open-air event in southern Australia and will show over $120 million in new machinery exhibits from 21 to 23 September 2021
There is only one road to Southern Australia’s most spectacular and largest rural event, and that road leads to Henty NSW.
The Henty Machinery Field Days will be held from Tuesday to Thursday on the 21st to 23rd of September 2021 and will showcase around $120 million worth of machinery and goods on-site.
It’s Southern Australia’s single biggest agricultural event and attracts more than 60,000 visitors each year.
Event managers were forced to cancel the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic – the third time the event has been cancelled in its 58-year history.
But it’s all guns blazing for the super event that will run from Tuesday 21 until Thursday 23 September 2021, with exhibitors jostling for all the prime spots with online applications now open.
For the general public planning to attend, ticket sales will be online for the 2021 event and will be available via the website in July at www.hmfd.com.au
Henty Machinery Field Days is all set for a super event in 2021 
The event draws in more than 850 exhibitors over 1200 sites and will showcase around $120 million worth of machinery and goods on-site
HMFD chief executive officer Belinda Anderson said the Cooperative’s Board had all their planning in place and gave the green light for the super event to go ahead.
And while the 2019 HMFD event drew in more than 850 exhibitors over 1200 sites, Belinda is expecting exhibitor numbers to be in excess of 850 for 2021 on the back of strong interest.
“We are back with a bang this year,” she said.
“Agriculture was recognised as an essential industry during the COVID-19 pandemic and we had an exceptional year where commodity prices and yields combined to allow a sustained recovery for the sector from the drought.”
Belinda said the Board and staff had worked hard on planning for a COVID-safe event, with the field days operating on a 2sqm per person rule under current NSW Health restrictions.
Belinda explained public entry would operate on a contactless system with patrons pre-purchasing tickets on-line and scanning a QR code at the entrance gates, while exhibitors would be encouraged to use EFTPOS facilities.
Belinda indicated there would be an additional level of sanitisation of amenities and COVID Marshalls to monitor social distancing in order to protect the health of patrons, exhibitors, volunteers and staff.
Check out the Country Lifestyle pavilion, Farm Gate Produce Market and the great food on offer for a snack or a banquet 
Some of the most popular visitor entertainment includes the original entries in the Natural Fibre Fashion Awards where all budding designers get a chance to show their stuff
Henty this year coincides with the NSW and Victorian school holidays, and 2021 marks 60 years since the field days were conceived as a one-day header school at the Henty showground in 1961.
The Henty MFD will have all the usual attractions including the prestigious Henty Machine of the Year Award, the popular working sheep dog trials, Baker Seeds agronomy trials and vintage farm machinery display.
There will also be plenty of interest in the Country Lifestyle pavilion, Farm Gate Produce Market, helicopter joy rides, live entertainment and the Natural Fibre Fashion Awards.
“We will be seeking to reinvigorate the popular Agri-Innovators Award for innovative inventions from farmers, students or backyard tinkerers,” added Belinda.
The entries must meet the criteria of having a practical on-farm application, be based on an original idea of the entrant and not be in full-scale production at the time entry.
Also back this year will be the exhibitor awards for the Best Outdoor Large Commercial, Best Outdoor General, Best Indoor (Country Lifestyle and Farm Gate).
“Having last year off enabled us to sow down the field days site with a specialist pasture mix including fescue and cocksfoot varieties recommended by David Leah, technical extension agronomist with Seed Force Australia,” Belinda said.
The working sheep dog trials alert farmers to the best breed for their livestock – shown here Dean Incher entered a top dog to become a previous winner 
Don’t miss the fascinating tractor models from yesteryear in the vintage farm machinery display where this 1915 Titan 10-20 went up against the latest release Case IH Steiger tractor
According to the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia, 2020 delivered the strongest year of tractor sales since the 1980s.
“We expect the strong demand for all agricultural machinery, livestock handling equipment and fencing materials to continue through 2021.
“And, combined with the focus on regional Australia with the public’s keenness to get out and about, will auger well for a successful 2021 Henty Machinery Field Days,” Belinda added.
The not-for-profit HMFD Cooperative enabled fundraising of more than $350,000 to regional sporting clubs, community organisations and schools from the 2019 Henty Machinery Field Days.
Exhibitors can book online through the Henty Machinery Field Days website.
To contact the Field Days team, call on tel: 02 6929 3305, or email: admin@hmfd.com.au
