8 March 1996 They all came to Gummies Bush – field day at Gummies Bush a success

Who said farmers' field days were a thing of the past. Interest in the recent Farmer of the Year field day on John and Joan Hopcroft's property at Gummies Bush, Southland, certainly put paid to that rumour!

Over 200 participants took the opportunity to spend time on the 182-hectare sheep farm located on rolling country eight kilometres from the southern coast of the South Island, near Riverton.

"It was an outstanding day," says Errol Costello of Lincoln's Centre for Continuing Education, "and it shows there is real interest out there when you have a good topic, something definite to learn about and a well organised programme."

The Hopcrofts were the 1995 winners of the Lincoln University Foundation Farmer of the Year Award and the traditional field day on the title-holders' property generated immense interest in Southland, drawing a special newspaper feature and the involvement of agricultural supply companies and other businesses.

The category of farming for the 1995 competition was sheep and the Gummies Bush property carries 2330 ewes, 650 hoggets and 30 rams with production averages of around 100kgs of wool and 300kgs of meat per hectare being achieved.

Within the past 18 months the Hopcrofts have trialled Texel rams and after a successful lambing season with them have decided to go for a Texel Coopworth cross flock.

Master of Ceremonies for the day was, as usual, Neil Gow of the Department of Farm and Horticultural Management, a longstanding judge of the Farmer of the Year awards.

The couple were able to show the positive aspects of growing grass and turning it into lamb as practised in Southland. Their enthusiasm and competence came across very clearly and participants in the field day saw them as worthy winners of the Lincoln University Foundation Farmer of the Year Award.

Special guests at the day included John Nimmo, Chairperson of the Foundation, fellow trustees Professor Bruce Ross and Derek Newman of Lincoln University and past Lincoln staff member Bruce Ryde who assists Neil Gow with the initial judging. Also supporting the day with their presence were fellow 1995 finalists in competition from as far afield as Waiau and Hawarden.

The Lincoln University Foundation's Farmer of the Year Competition has as its major sponsor the specialist agricultural bank, Primary Industry Bank of Australia Ltd, and South Island Manager Alister Bennett described the Hopcrofts as a "wonderful example of the innovative and successful operators in the country's sheep industry".

The Community Diary. Produced by The Community Relations Centre, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand