February 15, 2026 • 9 mins
Eric Roy reminisces about the early days of Southern Field Days back in 1982.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Looking forward to ever. This is the muster on Hakanui.
Eric Roy, former MP, and he also wears a lot
of hats and continues to do so and joins us
once again. Eric, Good afternoon. How things been.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, no, pretty good. We've looked south and weatherwise, it
was the best place in the country to be, that's
for sure. And you know, with the best the best January,
and it's looking like we're going to have the best
Feebury as well.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Absolutely hate Eric. We're going to focus on this a
bit today. I'm speaking to Steve Henderson on the show.
He's chair of the Southern Field Days. But when this
event started back in nineteen eighty two, you were one
of the instigators.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, now I was in XL was reflecting yesterday. I
was actually talking with Jeff Cunningham, there was also one
of the first committee and we we we started it
off because we wanted to give young farmers a bit
of a shop window. Look at what we're doing. This
is a new thing where we're a pretty active little
group in the community. Well it's since become a cooked
(01:10):
body because it's just become so successful, but there's still
been a great training ground for young farmers. But that
first but in nineteen eighty two, Jeff and I thought
it was on reflection, about seventy three exhibitors. It was
a two day event, and over the two days, five
hundred and fifty people came. Some of them came for
both days, so there wasn't five hundred and fifty different people.
(01:33):
And we had a bit of a dbrief Heartwood, who
we've cracked it. We've got something good here and if
you have a look todayut and it was a sixteen
hundred odd exhibitors and about fifty thousand over the three days.
It's just amazing how it's grown. Really.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, I think it's gone to around eight hundred exhibitors
over well forty two thousand or so, I think roughly
over the three days. But when you started this event
back in nineteen eighty two, did you imagine that were
greater the site?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
No, no, no, we didn't, but we knew we had
something that struck an appeal. But and the original ones
we were doing it was more active. If you wanted
to have a try with a moa or something you
could heat over into least guardines are up under one
that ken Bomas Paddocks, or you could take a four
wheel drive onto that face across the river and have
(02:21):
a play around. It was more active in those days,
but the size has outgrown that and it is a
more of a static kind of a show. But you know,
actually my son and I had to stand there. We
sell ramps, so yeah, we were in there, and we
see it as a very valuable opportunity that people talk
(02:41):
and you know, you give us some names and contacts
and go from there.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
And the flow on effects regarding the event. I mean,
gore has been a hyper of activity as it is
anyway due to other developments around the province. But you
can't underestimate what this does as far as money coming
in down here.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Absolutely. Actually I was talking to a guy that was
down here on unrelated business and the only place you
could get any accommodation in Southland was Riverton. Interesting thing
I think, and just looking in the last three years,
is just how some of the costs related to farming
have increased. Like for about a decade, a tractor with
(03:23):
a funding lad that was about a thousand dollars of
horse bare, a hundred horse bare attractor one hundred grand
and if you have a look at some of that
machinery that's here today, there's and now talking main brands
attractors like the fifteen hundred Nunteen sixteen hundred dollars or
Horsebay are now in some of those big choppers and harvesters.
There's no chain out of a million, so the arable
(03:44):
seat they're just actually running pretty quite sort of budgets
at the moment with these cots that have come through
on them, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Blaire drivesdown made the collie before regarding the harvest, just
want of frustration Eric, the fact that they can't get
a run of dry win to get into the peddis.
But then we think about what's happening in Kenterbury and
it sounds like an absolute ennis horribillus.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yeah, well it is. You know, we got rallies up
there and they've lost their clover and the grass seats
not going too well, and yeah it has been extraordinarily trying,
which is all I said, like much in orders, we've
had our trial South that's probably the best place in
the country.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
So on the field Day's Committee at the moment is
about I think perhaps around twenty four of us we're going.
I started back in nineteen ninety two. How many people
were involved.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Eight or ten? I think.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
We sort of gathered up those that were interested from
the district committee of Young tarmers and we got going.
And Ken Boehmer was one of those and he actually
owned the probably where the flats are there and says, oh,
that a paddock would be suitable. And so yeah, I
couldn't name all the people that were there, but I'll
probably get most of them, but I won't. I won't
(04:56):
do that in case there's someone out. But yeah, there
were I think probably ten people that were there.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Yes, well, the health and safety requirements like in nineteen
eighty two.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
I don't think we worried too much about them. Then.
That's why we were able to do have a go
with this mora see what you think of that sort
of approach. And we had bits of pieces of paddocks
out where people would go and drive a motorbike or
take a four wheel drive. We'll do a lot of things.
So yeah, and that's now been well, probably rightly. So
(05:27):
when you've got forty two thousand people there, you need
to be a long way more conscious. Because we could
manage it with Jeff Cunningham's Sandro was loud speaker's managed
on top of it, and I was on the mic
and made people obey and stand here and do all that.
But yeah, we weren't too formal about the health and safety.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Something that has anything but a success though, is this
effluent discharge in Wellington? I mean, if this was a
farmer eric thud, have the Bible thrown at them one
hundred times.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Well, that is exactly And I've made that point of
few places over the last week since it started. If
your affluent disposal unit gets stuck and doesn't move for
some reason, you give me up for a fine of
nearly six figures and no one is held accountable here. Yes,
the guy has that there was head of the water
(06:19):
system has resigned, but look, it's just an absolute class
that's going on and on. And the other point that
I think needs to be made politically is and I
read this story on line this morning that the day
that the Wellington Council, under its Green mayors, was given
the job of deciding what they would spend, they reduced
(06:40):
the expenditure of the option that was put to them
by about one hundred million and went for a cheaper option.
And then they spent seventh committed at the same meeting
seventy nine million on the cycle wave and that's money
that was taken out of actually would should have gone
into a much more reliable and betters and for dealing
(07:00):
with everyone. And I think this would be my message.
It's fine to have aspirations of green meares and green people,
but if you actually want to do things, you shouldn't
let them anywhere near the treasury benches. If this is
an example of the kind of governance and leadership, because
this is an unmitigated disaster, no one's held responsible and
(07:23):
we don't know how long it's going to go on
for another leak overnight with the system that was there.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
I mean, this is something that we could see in
a lot of towns and cities around New Zealand. I
suppose you put it back into a farming context, going
from Copper pint into Copper Pinte into Alcathine, for example,
and the changeovers just having to renew infrastructure. It's possibly
something that's going to affect everywhere.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Well, yeah, there are serious leakages in various places, and
there's been things that have historically happened that are going
to take a bit of sorting out the contamination between
stormwater and and wastewater, and a lot of places when
you get ahead of you rain and just considering those
(08:06):
wasteful and the stormwater once till you get around and
that washes out and we get sort of can't swim here,
can't swim there, don't wait here, don't get your dog
do this, And that is going to take a lot
of sorting out. The infrastructural things are quite amiss in
some cities.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Do you think the real sectors should be putting up
a bit of a stink about their no penintendo because
of what they were faced if it occurred.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Well, that's why I'm talking about it wherever I can.
I just think that's the double standard or the duplicity.
Is that quite frequent, like farmers get playing for greenhouse gases,
and people driving remu Era attractors to pick their kids
up backus forwards from school and the eighths and various things,
(08:51):
and it's the farmer's fault. But look, we just got
to wear a lot of these decisions and say, look,
what is this equitable? Is this fear? Are we treating
the sector that's actually producing the wealth of this country?
With some sort of equity that we're all prepared to share.
And I'm not saying we should turn a blind eye
when something goes wrong on a farm, but we need
(09:12):
the same standard when something goes horrendously well and a
sector that is not on farm.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Eric Roy, I'll leave you there. You're talking far too
much sense for a Monday Always appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Good one. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Eric Roy in the political around that for a Monday afternoon.
You're listening to the muster up. Next, we're going to
catch up Ben Dewey farming just out of window.
Looking forward to ever. This is the muster on Hakanui.
Eric Roy, former MP, and he also wears a lot
of hats and continues to do so and joins us
once again. Eric, Good afternoon. How things been.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, no, pretty good. We've looked south and weatherwise, it
was the best place in the country to be, that's
for sure. And you know, with the best the best January,
and it's looking like we're going to have the best
Feebury as well.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Absolutely hate Eric. We're going to focus on this a
bit today. I'm speaking to Steve Henderson on the show.
He's chair of the Southern Field Days. But when this
event started back in nineteen eighty two, you were one
of the instigators.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, now I was in XL was reflecting yesterday. I
was actually talking with Jeff Cunningham, there was also one
of the first committee and we we we started it
off because we wanted to give young farmers a bit
of a shop window. Look at what we're doing. This
is a new thing where we're a pretty active little
group in the community. Well it's since become a cooked
(01:10):
body because it's just become so successful, but there's still
been a great training ground for young farmers. But that
first but in nineteen eighty two, Jeff and I thought
it was on reflection, about seventy three exhibitors. It was
a two day event, and over the two days, five
hundred and fifty people came. Some of them came for
both days, so there wasn't five hundred and fifty different people.
(01:33):
And we had a bit of a dbrief Heartwood, who
we've cracked it. We've got something good here and if
you have a look todayut and it was a sixteen
hundred odd exhibitors and about fifty thousand over the three days.
It's just amazing how it's grown. Really.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, I think it's gone to around eight hundred exhibitors
over well forty two thousand or so, I think roughly
over the three days. But when you started this event
back in nineteen eighty two, did you imagine that were
greater the site?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
No, no, no, we didn't, but we knew we had
something that struck an appeal. But and the original ones
we were doing it was more active. If you wanted
to have a try with a moa or something you
could heat over into least guardines are up under one
that ken Bomas Paddocks, or you could take a four
wheel drive onto that face across the river and have
(02:21):
a play around. It was more active in those days,
but the size has outgrown that and it is a
more of a static kind of a show. But you know,
actually my son and I had to stand there. We
sell ramps, so yeah, we were in there, and we
see it as a very valuable opportunity that people talk
(02:41):
and you know, you give us some names and contacts
and go from there.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
And the flow on effects regarding the event. I mean,
gore has been a hyper of activity as it is
anyway due to other developments around the province. But you
can't underestimate what this does as far as money coming
in down here.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Absolutely. Actually I was talking to a guy that was
down here on unrelated business and the only place you
could get any accommodation in Southland was Riverton. Interesting thing
I think, and just looking in the last three years,
is just how some of the costs related to farming
have increased. Like for about a decade, a tractor with
(03:23):
a funding lad that was about a thousand dollars of
horse bare, a hundred horse bare attractor one hundred grand
and if you have a look at some of that
machinery that's here today, there's and now talking main brands
attractors like the fifteen hundred Nunteen sixteen hundred dollars or
Horsebay are now in some of those big choppers and harvesters.
There's no chain out of a million, so the arable
(03:44):
seat they're just actually running pretty quite sort of budgets
at the moment with these cots that have come through
on them, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Blaire drivesdown made the collie before regarding the harvest, just
want of frustration Eric, the fact that they can't get
a run of dry win to get into the peddis.
But then we think about what's happening in Kenterbury and
it sounds like an absolute ennis horribillus.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yeah, well it is. You know, we got rallies up
there and they've lost their clover and the grass seats
not going too well, and yeah it has been extraordinarily trying,
which is all I said, like much in orders, we've
had our trial South that's probably the best place in
the country.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
So on the field Day's Committee at the moment is
about I think perhaps around twenty four of us we're going.
I started back in nineteen ninety two. How many people
were involved.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Eight or ten? I think.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
We sort of gathered up those that were interested from
the district committee of Young tarmers and we got going.
And Ken Boehmer was one of those and he actually
owned the probably where the flats are there and says, oh,
that a paddock would be suitable. And so yeah, I
couldn't name all the people that were there, but I'll
probably get most of them, but I won't. I won't
(04:56):
do that in case there's someone out. But yeah, there
were I think probably ten people that were there.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Yes, well, the health and safety requirements like in nineteen
eighty two.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
I don't think we worried too much about them. Then.
That's why we were able to do have a go
with this mora see what you think of that sort
of approach. And we had bits of pieces of paddocks
out where people would go and drive a motorbike or
take a four wheel drive. We'll do a lot of things.
So yeah, and that's now been well, probably rightly. So
(05:27):
when you've got forty two thousand people there, you need
to be a long way more conscious. Because we could
manage it with Jeff Cunningham's Sandro was loud speaker's managed
on top of it, and I was on the mic
and made people obey and stand here and do all that.
But yeah, we weren't too formal about the health and safety.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Something that has anything but a success though, is this
effluent discharge in Wellington? I mean, if this was a
farmer eric thud, have the Bible thrown at them one
hundred times.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Well, that is exactly And I've made that point of
few places over the last week since it started. If
your affluent disposal unit gets stuck and doesn't move for
some reason, you give me up for a fine of
nearly six figures and no one is held accountable here. Yes,
the guy has that there was head of the water
(06:19):
system has resigned, but look, it's just an absolute class
that's going on and on. And the other point that
I think needs to be made politically is and I
read this story on line this morning that the day
that the Wellington Council, under its Green mayors, was given
the job of deciding what they would spend, they reduced
(06:40):
the expenditure of the option that was put to them
by about one hundred million and went for a cheaper option.
And then they spent seventh committed at the same meeting
seventy nine million on the cycle wave and that's money
that was taken out of actually would should have gone
into a much more reliable and betters and for dealing
(07:00):
with everyone. And I think this would be my message.
It's fine to have aspirations of green meares and green people,
but if you actually want to do things, you shouldn't
let them anywhere near the treasury benches. If this is
an example of the kind of governance and leadership, because
this is an unmitigated disaster, no one's held responsible and
(07:23):
we don't know how long it's going to go on
for another leak overnight with the system that was there.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
I mean, this is something that we could see in
a lot of towns and cities around New Zealand. I
suppose you put it back into a farming context, going
from Copper pint into Copper Pinte into Alcathine, for example,
and the changeovers just having to renew infrastructure. It's possibly
something that's going to affect everywhere.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Well, yeah, there are serious leakages in various places, and
there's been things that have historically happened that are going
to take a bit of sorting out the contamination between
stormwater and and wastewater, and a lot of places when
you get ahead of you rain and just considering those
(08:06):
wasteful and the stormwater once till you get around and
that washes out and we get sort of can't swim here,
can't swim there, don't wait here, don't get your dog
do this, And that is going to take a lot
of sorting out. The infrastructural things are quite amiss in
some cities.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Do you think the real sectors should be putting up
a bit of a stink about their no penintendo because
of what they were faced if it occurred.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Well, that's why I'm talking about it wherever I can.
I just think that's the double standard or the duplicity.
Is that quite frequent, like farmers get playing for greenhouse gases,
and people driving remu Era attractors to pick their kids
up backus forwards from school and the eighths and various things,
(08:51):
and it's the farmer's fault. But look, we just got
to wear a lot of these decisions and say, look,
what is this equitable? Is this fear? Are we treating
the sector that's actually producing the wealth of this country?
With some sort of equity that we're all prepared to share.
And I'm not saying we should turn a blind eye
when something goes wrong on a farm, but we need
(09:12):
the same standard when something goes horrendously well and a
sector that is not on farm.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Eric Roy, I'll leave you there. You're talking far too
much sense for a Monday Always appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Good one. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Eric Roy in the political around that for a Monday afternoon.
You're listening to the muster up. Next, we're going to
catch up Ben Dewey farming just out of window.
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