Muck in ... and have a field day

Exhibitors were buzzing around in gumboots at Mystery Creek yesterday. Photo / Sarah Ivey

It probably wouldn't be National Fieldays without gumboots - but they'll be the must-have accessory at this year's agricultural show.

Weather Watch analyst Philip Duncan said conditions at Mystery Creek were expected to be warmer than normal, but he predicted heavy showers and maybe thunderstorms.

That is unlikely to deter the tens of thousands expected over the four days, which start today..

The 40ha site, near Hamilton, is sold out and there is a waiting list to join the more than 1000 exhibitions and demonstrations.

Many were yesterday setting up to showcase their goods.

Among them was Waikato farmer Mike Pizzini who has a solution for those who don't want to dirty their gumboots when opening the farm gate.

His H2Open invention - which connects to the farm water supply or a nearby cattle trough - allows farmers to push a button on a post from their vehicle. After a few seconds, the water-driven innovation fills a mechanism in the post with about three litres of water which allows the gate to swing around.

The mechanism also has a return spring and a bleed valve so when the water dissipates the spring sets back, allowing the gate to close.

"The water returns to the source so it is pretty environmentally-sound and it just makes life a bit easier," said Mr Pizzini, who has entered his invention at the Innovation Centre.

The inventors, who display their innovations in two categories - invention and equipment - use Fieldays as a test platform for their ideas.

Fieldays chairman Lloyd Downing said sales at last year's event topped $285 million, while the event's economic impact was $865 million.

With recessionary times hitting wallets hard and a lower payout for Fonterra farmers, numbers this year could be down on last year's 132,000.

"We are probably not going to break many records - there aren't too many businesses in New Zealand that will right now - but I'd be thrilled if we had 120,000 people walk through the gates," said Mr Downing.