The Hamilton North Agricultural Group will celebrate its 60th jubilee on Tuesday October 23 when students from eight schools gather to show their animals in an event which has endured despite social change.

The first meeting was held on April 7, 1952 for the group known as the Ngaruawahia Agricultural Group. The idea was instigated by the late Ralph Birdsall, a delegate from the then South Auckland Education Board. Called a Field Day the first event and held at Ngaruawahia on November 3, 1952 and following year at Te Rapa School. Pupils could enter the yearling that they had exhibited the previous year as a calf. Classes were much larger due there being more farms in the area and larger families.

In 1958 the entries recorded were: 158 calves, 17 yearlings and 22 lambs. Several more schools joined the group in the 1950s.

In 1971 Ngaruawahia left the group as it became more of an urban school and in 1979 the name was changed to Hamilton North Agricultural Group as it now included lambs as well as calves.

1982 saw the inclusion of kid goats at the day held at Fairfield School, which left the group in 1986 followed in 1998 by Te Rapa School for the same reasons as Ngaruawahia. This left Gordonton, Horsham Downs, Puketaha, Horotiu, TeKowhai, and Rotokauri.

From the original five schools and with the closure and amalgamation of several schools Orini and Whitikahu schools joined the Hamilton North group in 1999, making a total of eight schools in the group as it still is today.

Today the Hamilton North Group is one of the largest Agriculture Group Days in New Zealand. Many changes have taken place to include kid goats, ram lambs, and beef calves to accommodate lifestyle block pupils and keep up the number of exhibitors.

With parking problems and some schools becoming more urban the committee decided to hold the day at Gordonton and circulate its organization among the schools.

This has proved to be extremely successful with all the equipment stored on site and Gordonton School is central to most schools within the group.

Group Days are just one section of the organization which starts with the agriculture day at each school, followed by group day at Gordonton School culminating in A & P show Day at Claudelands in Hamilton.

There are many hours of work done by volunteers to run these successful days, such as organising judges, setting up and mowing exhibition rings, and arranging meals for officials.

Some families have been involved right through, first as an exhibitor, steward, then judges as well as serving on school calf club committees, group day committees and delegates to Waikato A & P Show Agriculture Group committees.

We must also be grateful to the parents who allow their children to participate and the many farmers who willingly supply them with animals.

To all these people we owe a huge debt of gratitude as their contribution has been invaluable in keeping our group going on to make this milestone of 60 years. Hopefully we will still be going strong to celebrate our 75th anniversary in 2027.

Congratulations to the Hamilton North Group and may the Group Days at Gordonton School continue well into the future.