As some of you may know, I have a business directly opposite the Fieldays HQ and Gate 2. I park cars that cannot be bothered waiting for hours to get out of the FD car parks. From my property, they are out on their way home within 2-3 minutes. For this I charge, (mainly exhibitors) $10 per car. My clients get to park for nothing.
This year at end of set up Tuesday evening, I was approached by a man wanting to put up advertising for the New Conservatives Party. (Photo below) I agreed and he put 4 of these along the roadside fence.
Cars start getting here early, so I am out at the gate at 5.30 each morning.
On the Wednesday morning I was just opening the gate when a Fieldays car (the deputy CEO) comes along, screeches to a halt, runs across the road and pulls a sign off my fence. I go out and confront him and tell him to stop what he is doing and piss off. He said I have no right to put those signs up on the fence. I tell him to go away. It is my fence and I can put what I like on it. Things are getting a bit heated by this stage, and I tell him to fuck off.
He calls me a leech on the Fieldays and scurries off back to his car. I can only assume from this comment that they don’t particularly like the fact that I am making money from their exhibition. Until we are told otherwise, it’s a free country, and I can do what I like with my property.
The irony here, is that they are so bloody stupid. 3 months ago, they requested that they be allowed to pre-book and pay for 20 parking sites for caravans to be used during these past 4 days to house their volunteers. For this they paid in advance. They have only used 7 of those sites, leaving me to reuse the rest for camper vans and cars. (Last year they booked for 10 and only used 4).
I just love it when they are shown up for the bullies they are. No small exhibitor has ever had a good word to say about them. They are all afraid to say anything publicly because of the possibility of not being allowed back to exhibit.
You need to put your signs up inside the fence out of arms length.
I am sure you can put what signs you like on your own fence but if push comes to shove perhaps on posts inside the fence if the bullies are about. Good on you for having the get up and go to make some money out of parking. I am sure that those who do park at yours are very grateful they are not sitting for hours in the line up to get out. Free enterprise is still allowed isn’t it?
I had a chat over a couple of beers with two people who have been exhibiting at the Fieldays for the past thirty years. They sell tractors and other farm implements. They seem to think that Fieldays has become the Waikato Winter Show on a new site. That is, it has forgotten its rural emphasis and tried to be an all round attraction. The problem that Fieldays management cannot see is that the rural industry exhibitors spend a fortune on their marketing efforts at Fieldays, and if that is going to be something more suitable for urbanised do it yourselfers, then their marketing budget might just be better spent elsewhere. Fieldays management must not ruin their iconic brand for it would be silly if they emulated Theo Spierings’ idea to ruin Fonterra.
The actions of that deputy CEO are an unfortunate example of how detached from reality the Fieldays management have become. They have a problem and I really hope they can sort that problem out.
Good onya, Chris.
The FD’s have got carried away with promoting themselves. Exhibitors are seen for their $value as benefiting growth of the FD’s and not the total reason the public pay to attend.
As for your fence, you have every right to put anything you want on unless it is offensive. He is probably a Labour voter! All business should be supported not abused. He overstepped the mark and did not have the good grace to apologise, instead blamed you for being there. If FD’s don’t like your presence, I’m sure a large purchasing $figure for your retirement fund wouldn’t go amiss.
Was it the deputy CEO, complain to the CEO and a letter to the Times, if Holysheet had been quicker he could have given him a card and a flyer.
Staples wires to the back of the signs and run 20,000 volts through them and watch the fun when that prick tries to take them down next time!
Or even just a decent electric fenc, would sit him on his arse!
After setting up a camera. You could post them here, so everybody gets a laugh ot his expense!
Ed, I believe you may have mis-spelt your heading. I assume you meant ‘leech’, as in: habitually exploit or rely on: he’s leeching off the abilities of others. Rather than ‘leach’: subject (soil, ash, etc.) to a leaching process: ash is readily leached.
I see you’ve changed it. Good boy!
The English language has countless words like that- easy to balls up that one!
I am scratching my head as to how this plonker got to be a deputy CEO of anything.
He is obviously incapable of rational and reasonable thought.
Send them a bill.
The New Conservative party should for the cost of their sign.
He is not the most dynamic person. Has been passed over for the top job a few times so perhaps he’s just a space filler.
Related to Phail Twitford is he?
He’s a Nat voter Lofty. says it all. Welcome along.
I am no lawyer, but if that sign was on your property, then surely he has broken the law. Vandalism or theft would be my immediate suggestions. It’s up to you but I would make an official complaint to the local plod, just to piss the bugger off. Nothing like the dep CEO having a glass of champagne to celebrate the success of FDs when the local constabulary arrive with a ” excuse me sir, could we have a word….”
Next year advertise you van spaces in the Motor home mag. Tell the fieldays sorry, already rented.
They already know. I had about 30 camper vans over the 4 days.
No need to advertise this.
Viking do you have a campervan?
I am about to buy one and join the NZMHA