Selwyn Times: March 31, 2021

Selwyn Times Wednesday March 31 2021
10
NEWS
KIRWEE’S ALASTAIR Frizzell
said it was “absolutely brilliant”
to have been awarded the 2021
Agri-Innovation Award at the
South Island Agricultural Field
Days last week.
A panel of three industryexpert
judges were impressed
by the new technology offered
in Frizzell Ltd’s Smart Paddock
Weigher, and were unanimous in
their decision.
“There’s been a huge amount of
work go into this development,”
Frizzell said.
“It’s really exciting, for the
whole team, to get the project to
the point where it’s ready to commercialise.”
Frizzell employs 10 people
at the Kirwee-based company,
which specialises in agricultural
electronics. The company was in
the process of putting the Smart
Paddock Weigher on the market.
The solar-powered machine
allows farmers to weigh young
livestock in the paddock, saving
farmer time and resources and
supporting animal health and
well-being.
STOCK EZY’s flow control gate
picked up the runner-up award.
The field days were a huge
success, with fantastic weather
and crowd numbers exceeding
organisers’ expectations.
Chairwoman Michaela McLeod
estimated up to 34,000 people
had attended. The highlight was
everyone’s enthusiasm for being
at an event of that magnitude in
the post-Covid environment.
“For me, it’s just hearing the
fabulous feedback we have been
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Livestock weigher wins
innovation award at field days
• By Susan Sandys
HIGH-TECH: Alastair
Frizzell’s paddock weigher
took out the top Agri-
Innovation Award at
the Kirwee South Island
Agriculture Field Days. (Left)
Chairwoman Michaela
McLeod was pleased to see
sunshine and up to 34,000
at the field days.
getting from the exhibitors and
the public about how great it is
for everyone to be here,” McLeod
said.
The Country Women’s
Competition, organised by Dairy
Women’s Network, attracted
more than 70 competitors across
the three days, with a winner
being named each day.
Above: Sharon
Hancock, of
Rolleston, reverses
a quad bike with
a trailer attached.
Left – Emily Daly
of Leeston is in
full concentration
mode as she
negotiates a
wheelbarrow
course.
Below – Melissa
Broughton, of
Darfield, shows
good technique
as she loads her
wheelbarrow with
firewood.
PHOTOS: GEOFF
SLOAN
REFRESHMENTS: Malvern Lions Club members keep hunger at bay. Ruby, 8, and Ella Shepherd, 5,
of Kirwee, make friends with farm animals.