February 8, 2026 • 10 mins
Steve Henderson looks ahead to the upcoming Southern Fieldays at Waimumu.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is the muster on Hakanoi. Steve Henderson joins us
in studio. Actually he graces us with his presence, the
Grand Pooba of the Southern Field Days. He is the chair.
Of course. Good afternoon, Steve.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I will under control out there afternoon. Andy.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hell, you're just as loud and here as your own
public so far out. Don't come into studio too often.
I'm lucky about that.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Thanks well. I appreciate there. Look grand Pooba great. Do
you know what the grand poo bar is?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
No, I'm too old, No, too young.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
I think you don't remember happy days. Howard Cunningham, he
was a member. He was the Grand Pooba of the
local Leopard Lodge number four sixty two in Milwaukee. There
you go, these effect for you. But enough of happy days,
and was happy days this week out there at Southern
Field Days at Waimomo. Of course you're the cheer. It's
been a busy couple of weeks in the lead up.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
It has, yep, probably more so for the General Committee
and Jude that obviously goes from a lease farm into
a tent city within about three weeks of actually feed
on the ground. But you know, it's been a two
year build up since the last few days on the
site right now, probably eighty percent of exhibitors got their
tents up and looking forward to Wednesday, so we've had
(01:20):
a pretty good lead up weatherwise, and looking at the
forecast that's going to continue. So yeah, twenty twenty six
is going to be one of those field days. I
think that'll be one for the books, hopefully for exhibitors,
you know, red meat, milk. Everything's looking good and yeah,
let's hope it all comes to a fishing for them.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Now, what's different from the field days from two years
ago when you fast forward to the prison. I mean,
we can talk about the infrastructure and everything, but for
you being involved on the committee, like I've been on
the committee as well, and let's be honest, you do
a hell of a lot more than what I do,
given I've got dual capacities. But what is it that
really brings you back into the focus of the event.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I think there's probably a lot of the camaraderie for
the committee too. It's a whole group of people that
you don't spend a lot of time with for you know,
for the last two years, and you just reminded that
no one changes that much, you've still got the same
we win some people, the same demeanor of all the
other people. So it's a committee. And then also getting
to Friday and you know you've pulled off as a
(02:16):
event that's so big for Southland and that's probably for
the committee too, obviously, that's that's why they're on it.
And they've obviously all got their own roles and they
strive to get them the best they can too. So
that's probably the number one reason everybody's on the committee.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
And from your perspective as well, when you see the
event and different things that go on. Every time we've
seen the implementation of different things. I mean, we go
back a few years now, the egosne to being erected
for the first time, there was a big thing in
the toilet Blox and just increasing the infrastructure to the
point that there's a facility out there that you can
use outside the event too.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yeah, it is, and that's foresight from you know previous
Well they're still on the committee, sorry, but your previous
chairman's and that going Hey, there's got to be a
different way to houses exhibitors, so let's not we're not
build a shed. So yeah, that was Mark Dillon's ere
build a shed then and the infrastructures forever changing a lot.
You say, it's a huge as set for let's call
(03:12):
it a tiger Southland toilet block, office block. We've got
the function center where we can hold weddings and birthdays
and and thegra center is used for a lot of
different things from obviously sheep dog trials to car auctions
to head the odd drive and movie. So yeah, it's
a real air set and going forward it's only going
to get bigger and bigger.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So what does a weak look like for you? Because
you're on the road pretty yearly out of our rule
to get here in good time.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, for the last ten days obviously had Sunday didn't
come up, but it's coming up. There's about four or
five on the committee all the time, hanging out there
driving loaders, you know, getting water sordered, pigs on the ground,
infrastructure done, bit of fencing. So as a chairman, you're
you're you're always wanted to get on the tools, but
(03:57):
sometimes you've got to, you know, remind your helf shit,
you can't be doing that. You've got to be back
and answering questions and sitting in the office twiddling your
thumbs a bit to be the ready to answer questions
and problem solved. So that's probably the hardest thing being
the chairman because obviously we're all farming. We all want
to look busy, to be busy. So yeah, and then
(04:18):
obviously from Wednesday that sort of slows down because if
it hasn't happened by Wednesday, it's not going to happen.
And then you just sort of watch the event go
and yeah, Friday night obviously celebrate hopefully a successful event.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Here's a tip. If you want to look busy without
being busy, walk really fast everywhere with some paper in
your head.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yes, definitely. And if you want to like you know
everything or not know everything so you know the answer,
just talked really fluently and then don't answer the question
and walk away.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Sounds like a politician very much. So, but look, what's happening.
So what's on the agenda over the three.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Days, So he obviously starts as Wednesday, all exhibits will
be reared to go by nine am general public. Obviously
the gates open at nine am and we've got got
the fence and competition that's happening. So that's South Island
Fencing competition that's out in Peddick four and this year
is a bit of a change. We've got some mud
buggies coming down from the Ottaga South and I'm sure
(05:14):
it's the four Drive club running that, so they are
doing a display on Thursday, so they've got a bit
of a track out there, beaten out and there. They're
competitive buggies, so they're not just the stock standard four drives.
They're competitive buggies. And then obviously the tract to pull
that's a big draw card down in Peddock four, so
there's always noise down there and that draws the crowd.
National Lamb Day that's going to be celebrated on Friday,
(05:37):
and along with that there's going to be some running
of the Lambs, just to just acknowledge that, I suppose
that the thing that they have done for the country
because way back in that first shipment that went out
of Palmerston, that is when the you know, the child
export was born and thereafter it's always been a pretty
big part of New Zealand. So that's Friday's going to
be pretty big on that one.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Running of the Lambs. What's this about exactly A bit
of detail.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yes, it's exactly that. It's it's just celebrating that the
income that they do to Southland and obviously the world
in New Zealand. It's one of our great committee members,
the exchiem and actually he come to the table with
his idea we undernnard and then that's the beauty of
the committee. We we don't say that we can do it.
We often asked a question why we can't do it,
(06:20):
and then there wasn't too many answers as to why
we can't do it. So he's going to happen, so
gor to our troll Club's gonna scrim some fence lanes
and get the public behind the scrim and here we're
going to walk the lambs through the site and out
the other end.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Certainly something we look forward to on Friday. Now the
tractor pull Bob Dylan has been all over this like
a rash as per normal.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yes he is, yep, he I think he lives and
breathes us between everything else he does. So yeah, it's
just a hell of a draw card. And it's the noise.
I think that Grether's a kid crowd down there. And
on that note, for all you tractor pullers and bit
a tongue in cheeks call them track to tug Us too.
They can there's a new gate down there and pet
It four. So if you coming in, there's a new
(07:01):
gate and just follow your nose, the committee will put
you in the right direction to get into the site
this year.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
So as far as admission, what do people need to know?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
They need to know that if they're coming from Gore,
they will go to the Gore car park and you
cannot get through to the way Mumu car park, So
just think about your route before you come in. Once
you get to the car park, you'll be put in
the right direction. And then there is ticket booths at
every gate this year, so every gate's going to have
f pos available and if you've got cash, even better
a bit quicker. So you need your ticket before you
(07:30):
get to the actual physical gate, So go to the
booth first, get your ticket and then go to the gate.
Twenty five dollars per entry, and those gates for general
public are open from nine am each day. And how
many exhibitors, Oh, that's a million dollar question in it lots, Yeah,
lots is a good answer. So we haven't increased the
(07:51):
site size we haven't increased exhibit numbers, so nothing's really changed,
and it just yeah, what on the day is what
it is, so it may and draw was to make
the site a better experience for public and exhibitors. So
if we can do that, it doesn't really matter how
many exhibitors we get up side general public through the
gates we get, as long as the experience has changed
from last time. That's sort of what drives us.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
And the big thing for the public to remember is
do your due diligence around traffic.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Yeah, definitely. Yeah, so we don't see that from insight
where they're early and leave late, so we don't see
what happens out the back, but we did. We were
fortunate enough sorry to go out in the helicopter last year,
and yeah, it was about lunchtime we went out on
the Friday, and the cars were backed up right out
to Old Wour past Garth Shanks out to. Yeah, probably
about two k's past that. So the traffic does queue up,
(08:38):
but it does keep moving. So if you're in the line,
just enjoy the experience and appreciate where you don't live
in Auckland, and then you'll be in the gates before
you know it.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Good way to put it. Just finally, how things looking
on the farm?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Ah? Good, good. So we've had some yeah, some pretty
good rain actually in the last two or three weeks
with the greenness we've been in a long long time
at this point in time, there's been many coming into
February where we've been starting to dry out and we've
really needed the turnips. But of all the years that
we put turnips, and again we don't actually need them.
So cal conditions, good milk flows are a bit better
(09:11):
than this time last year. And here we'll start to
get actually hands on farming next week once we're back
at a feld days mode and scan some cows and
get some data behind us, and yeah, look forward to
next season.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, good on. You see, it feels like I've been
putting you through a test this afternoon and you've pass
it with flying colors. As prayer. All the best to
everybody on the committee as well. It's a hell of
a thing to be able to give you time the
way that everybody does. But Jude, yourself and everyone else
enjoy the week and you see how it all folds.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yep, thanks Andre, We look forward. Everybody's seeing them there
we love it.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
All of the friends laugh out loud with ag proud
because life on the land can be a laughing matter.
Brought to us by sheer Well Data working to help
the livestock farmer right.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
I'll lift Handerson's my cons You can give comedy to
us if he wants to. One day, I'm going to
judge as spelling bee. I'll be one of the kids
asked to spell the word of there. When he asks
for it in a sentence, I'm going to say the
car is parked over there and they're late. I've had worse. Hey,
(10:16):
get on, you stay and let you carry on. We've
got to carry on as well. I'm Andy Muy. You've
been listening to the muster on Hokkanui cheese to Peters genetics.
See you tomorrow.
This is the muster on Hakanoi. Steve Henderson joins us
in studio. Actually he graces us with his presence, the
Grand Pooba of the Southern Field Days. He is the chair.
Of course. Good afternoon, Steve.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I will under control out there afternoon. Andy.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hell, you're just as loud and here as your own
public so far out. Don't come into studio too often.
I'm lucky about that.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Thanks well. I appreciate there. Look grand Pooba great. Do
you know what the grand poo bar is?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
No, I'm too old, No, too young.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
I think you don't remember happy days. Howard Cunningham, he
was a member. He was the Grand Pooba of the
local Leopard Lodge number four sixty two in Milwaukee. There
you go, these effect for you. But enough of happy days,
and was happy days this week out there at Southern
Field Days at Waimomo. Of course you're the cheer. It's
been a busy couple of weeks in the lead up.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
It has, yep, probably more so for the General Committee
and Jude that obviously goes from a lease farm into
a tent city within about three weeks of actually feed
on the ground. But you know, it's been a two
year build up since the last few days on the
site right now, probably eighty percent of exhibitors got their
tents up and looking forward to Wednesday, so we've had
(01:20):
a pretty good lead up weatherwise, and looking at the
forecast that's going to continue. So yeah, twenty twenty six
is going to be one of those field days. I
think that'll be one for the books, hopefully for exhibitors,
you know, red meat, milk. Everything's looking good and yeah,
let's hope it all comes to a fishing for them.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Now, what's different from the field days from two years
ago when you fast forward to the prison. I mean,
we can talk about the infrastructure and everything, but for
you being involved on the committee, like I've been on
the committee as well, and let's be honest, you do
a hell of a lot more than what I do,
given I've got dual capacities. But what is it that
really brings you back into the focus of the event.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
I think there's probably a lot of the camaraderie for
the committee too. It's a whole group of people that
you don't spend a lot of time with for you know,
for the last two years, and you just reminded that
no one changes that much, you've still got the same
we win some people, the same demeanor of all the
other people. So it's a committee. And then also getting
to Friday and you know you've pulled off as a
(02:16):
event that's so big for Southland and that's probably for
the committee too, obviously, that's that's why they're on it.
And they've obviously all got their own roles and they
strive to get them the best they can too. So
that's probably the number one reason everybody's on the committee.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
And from your perspective as well, when you see the
event and different things that go on. Every time we've
seen the implementation of different things. I mean, we go
back a few years now, the egosne to being erected
for the first time, there was a big thing in
the toilet Blox and just increasing the infrastructure to the
point that there's a facility out there that you can
use outside the event too.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yeah, it is, and that's foresight from you know previous
Well they're still on the committee, sorry, but your previous
chairman's and that going Hey, there's got to be a
different way to houses exhibitors, so let's not we're not
build a shed. So yeah, that was Mark Dillon's ere
build a shed then and the infrastructures forever changing a lot.
You say, it's a huge as set for let's call
(03:12):
it a tiger Southland toilet block, office block. We've got
the function center where we can hold weddings and birthdays
and and thegra center is used for a lot of
different things from obviously sheep dog trials to car auctions
to head the odd drive and movie. So yeah, it's
a real air set and going forward it's only going
to get bigger and bigger.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So what does a weak look like for you? Because
you're on the road pretty yearly out of our rule
to get here in good time.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, for the last ten days obviously had Sunday didn't
come up, but it's coming up. There's about four or
five on the committee all the time, hanging out there
driving loaders, you know, getting water sordered, pigs on the ground,
infrastructure done, bit of fencing. So as a chairman, you're
you're you're always wanted to get on the tools, but
(03:57):
sometimes you've got to, you know, remind your helf shit,
you can't be doing that. You've got to be back
and answering questions and sitting in the office twiddling your
thumbs a bit to be the ready to answer questions
and problem solved. So that's probably the hardest thing being
the chairman because obviously we're all farming. We all want
to look busy, to be busy. So yeah, and then
(04:18):
obviously from Wednesday that sort of slows down because if
it hasn't happened by Wednesday, it's not going to happen.
And then you just sort of watch the event go
and yeah, Friday night obviously celebrate hopefully a successful event.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Here's a tip. If you want to look busy without
being busy, walk really fast everywhere with some paper in
your head.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yes, definitely. And if you want to like you know
everything or not know everything so you know the answer,
just talked really fluently and then don't answer the question
and walk away.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Sounds like a politician very much. So, but look, what's happening.
So what's on the agenda over the three.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Days, So he obviously starts as Wednesday, all exhibits will
be reared to go by nine am general public. Obviously
the gates open at nine am and we've got got
the fence and competition that's happening. So that's South Island
Fencing competition that's out in Peddick four and this year
is a bit of a change. We've got some mud
buggies coming down from the Ottaga South and I'm sure
(05:14):
it's the four Drive club running that, so they are
doing a display on Thursday, so they've got a bit
of a track out there, beaten out and there. They're
competitive buggies, so they're not just the stock standard four drives.
They're competitive buggies. And then obviously the tract to pull
that's a big draw card down in Peddock four, so
there's always noise down there and that draws the crowd.
National Lamb Day that's going to be celebrated on Friday,
(05:37):
and along with that there's going to be some running
of the Lambs, just to just acknowledge that, I suppose
that the thing that they have done for the country
because way back in that first shipment that went out
of Palmerston, that is when the you know, the child
export was born and thereafter it's always been a pretty
big part of New Zealand. So that's Friday's going to
be pretty big on that one.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Running of the Lambs. What's this about exactly A bit
of detail.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yes, it's exactly that. It's it's just celebrating that the
income that they do to Southland and obviously the world
in New Zealand. It's one of our great committee members,
the exchiem and actually he come to the table with
his idea we undernnard and then that's the beauty of
the committee. We we don't say that we can do it.
We often asked a question why we can't do it,
(06:20):
and then there wasn't too many answers as to why
we can't do it. So he's going to happen, so
gor to our troll Club's gonna scrim some fence lanes
and get the public behind the scrim and here we're
going to walk the lambs through the site and out
the other end.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Certainly something we look forward to on Friday. Now the
tractor pull Bob Dylan has been all over this like
a rash as per normal.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yes he is, yep, he I think he lives and
breathes us between everything else he does. So yeah, it's
just a hell of a draw card. And it's the noise.
I think that Grether's a kid crowd down there. And
on that note, for all you tractor pullers and bit
a tongue in cheeks call them track to tug Us too.
They can there's a new gate down there and pet
It four. So if you coming in, there's a new
(07:01):
gate and just follow your nose, the committee will put
you in the right direction to get into the site
this year.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
So as far as admission, what do people need to know?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
They need to know that if they're coming from Gore,
they will go to the Gore car park and you
cannot get through to the way Mumu car park, So
just think about your route before you come in. Once
you get to the car park, you'll be put in
the right direction. And then there is ticket booths at
every gate this year, so every gate's going to have
f pos available and if you've got cash, even better
a bit quicker. So you need your ticket before you
(07:30):
get to the actual physical gate, So go to the
booth first, get your ticket and then go to the gate.
Twenty five dollars per entry, and those gates for general
public are open from nine am each day. And how
many exhibitors, Oh, that's a million dollar question in it lots, Yeah,
lots is a good answer. So we haven't increased the
(07:51):
site size we haven't increased exhibit numbers, so nothing's really changed,
and it just yeah, what on the day is what
it is, so it may and draw was to make
the site a better experience for public and exhibitors. So
if we can do that, it doesn't really matter how
many exhibitors we get up side general public through the
gates we get, as long as the experience has changed
from last time. That's sort of what drives us.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
And the big thing for the public to remember is
do your due diligence around traffic.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Yeah, definitely. Yeah, so we don't see that from insight
where they're early and leave late, so we don't see
what happens out the back, but we did. We were
fortunate enough sorry to go out in the helicopter last year,
and yeah, it was about lunchtime we went out on
the Friday, and the cars were backed up right out
to Old Wour past Garth Shanks out to. Yeah, probably
about two k's past that. So the traffic does queue up,
(08:38):
but it does keep moving. So if you're in the line,
just enjoy the experience and appreciate where you don't live
in Auckland, and then you'll be in the gates before
you know it.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Good way to put it. Just finally, how things looking
on the farm?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Ah? Good, good. So we've had some yeah, some pretty
good rain actually in the last two or three weeks
with the greenness we've been in a long long time
at this point in time, there's been many coming into
February where we've been starting to dry out and we've
really needed the turnips. But of all the years that
we put turnips, and again we don't actually need them.
So cal conditions, good milk flows are a bit better
(09:11):
than this time last year. And here we'll start to
get actually hands on farming next week once we're back
at a feld days mode and scan some cows and
get some data behind us, and yeah, look forward to
next season.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, good on. You see, it feels like I've been
putting you through a test this afternoon and you've pass
it with flying colors. As prayer. All the best to
everybody on the committee as well. It's a hell of
a thing to be able to give you time the
way that everybody does. But Jude, yourself and everyone else
enjoy the week and you see how it all folds.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yep, thanks Andre, We look forward. Everybody's seeing them there
we love it.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
All of the friends laugh out loud with ag proud
because life on the land can be a laughing matter.
Brought to us by sheer Well Data working to help
the livestock farmer right.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
I'll lift Handerson's my cons You can give comedy to
us if he wants to. One day, I'm going to
judge as spelling bee. I'll be one of the kids
asked to spell the word of there. When he asks
for it in a sentence, I'm going to say the
car is parked over there and they're late. I've had worse. Hey,
(10:16):
get on, you stay and let you carry on. We've
got to carry on as well. I'm Andy Muy. You've
been listening to the muster on Hokkanui cheese to Peters genetics.
See you tomorrow.
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Love Trapped
Former Bachelor Clayton Echard’s casual one-night fling turned into a paternity nightmare. When the news broke about the scandal, no one believed Clayton at first. He was a reality TV star, and an unpopular one at that. Clayton found himself trying to prove the truth, while trapped in a web of lies, manipulation, and threats. He would soon discover he was not the only one. At its core, this is a story about who you believe and why. It’s an epic battle that would take a group of strangers, citizen sleuths from across the world, to crack the case and finally hold someone accountable. New episodes of Love Trapped are released every Thursday, starting February 26th, 2026. If you would like to reach out to the Love Trapped team, email us at lovetrappedpod@gmail.com and follow along on Instagram @glasspodcasts.