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Story: Shows and field days

Ruakura field day, 1963

Video file

The National Fieldays grew out of an annual field day held at Ruakura, in the Waikato. The event allows farmers to see new agricultural machinery. In this clip they are watching a device designed to pick up hay bales. Perhaps their prejudices were confirmed when it proved less efficient than intended.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Pictorial Parade 143. National Film Unit, 1963

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Shows and field days – Field days, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/16790/ruakura-field-day-1963 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 1 March 2009.