Large and small farming machinery cutting grass, harvesting maize, ploughing paddocks and digging holes at Grasslandz are key it its success.

The Eureka Grasslandz site is big enough to allow ploughing to be demonstrated.

Event manager Andrew Reymer says the format, which allows farmers to see machinery in action, has proved such a winner the event is now firmly established and will be back in two years – on January 28 to 29, 2016 – at the 65ha Eureka site.

Based on the highly-successful Grasslands, and Muck live agriculture machinery demonstrations in the UK, Grasslandz had its beginning in NZ in 2011, when Andrew staged Ag in Action.

The concept is close to that which used to be seen at New Zealand A&P shows, where dealers demonstrated their latest tractor, hay baler or mower.

However, that trend has been declining so Andrew decided to create a show which is all about machinery, agronomy and expertise.

The 2014 event had 24 demonstration sites laid out to showcase each exhibitor's machinery and crops, including stands of maize, grasses and vegetables, which were planted in advance so farmers could see first-hand new and proven varieties growing.

'The interest has been so strong, the agronomy section will be even bigger in 2016,” says Andrew.

Initially focused purely on machinery and live demonstrations, Andrew says he was convinced to include the special section called All About Fencing, because visitors could see a range of fencing material and systems in use and watch competitors in the inaugural Fairbrother Industries Ltd Speed Fencing Competition.

While Grasslandz doesn't attract huge crowds, Andrew says those who attend are 'purist punters” there to check out and compare farm machinery and make buying decisions.

'We are pretty strict about who we let exhibit at Grasslandz – and in some ways its quality is as much about who is not there, as who is,” says Andrew.

'Our exhibitors love the fact there are no school children wanting freebies, no people just looking for the sake of looking.

'We will stay pure to our cause, which is machinery and now agronomy; and the exhibiters are really responding to it. Grasslandz is more conducive to sales.”

It's not just machinery dealerships, which get to show off their equipment in action. Members of the Waikato Vintage Tractor and Machinery Club brought out their favourite restored machines to tow trailers and provide free transport around the site; and the Waikato Ploughing Association held a ploughing competition at the event.

The large, flat site is owned by McFarlane Contracting, which allow it to host what organisers say is: 'New Zealand's premier ag machinery demonstration event”.

Two-year-old Leyton Voogt of Gordonton, with dad Daniel close by, checked out a CLASS harvester at Grasslandz.

John Walsh of the Waikato Vintage Tractor and Machinery Club is among those who
offered visitors rides around Grasslandz.

A digger in action was one of the attractions at Grasslandz.