Sunny skies helped attract crowds to the Allansford site, with the latest in equipment and farming innovation on show, as well as entertainment, food and plenty of shopping opportunities.

When it came to the exhibitors, Sungold Field Days chairman Tony Rea estimated there was a record amount of farm machinery at the Allansford site this year.

“It’s up by at least 30 per cent on what I’ve ever seen here before,” he said.

“The amount of new equipment on site is just amazing.”

Mr Rea said the three-day event was also helping people from non-farming backgrounds gain a greater understanding of agriculture and how important it was to the region. “People are starting to realise what it’s worth.”

It’s not all about dairy, however, with exhibitors like Adele Coleman and her cute caravan Clarice offering something a little bit different.

About 250 pairs of shoes fit inside Clarice, named in honour of Ms Coleman’s shoe-loving grandmother, and the caravan has rolled up at the field days for the past five years to give shoppers a bit of retail therapy.

“It’s really targeted at country women,” Ms Coleman said. The caravan tours around rural areas and the response to Clarice is always positive. “It’s a bit of therapy, really.”

Crowds were also eager to get a taste test in the food demonstration area with Jane Dough’s Will Jane on stage to share some secrets.  

The talented pastry chef took the audience through his sourdough and croquembouche recipes and said the reception was positive, with many would-be bakers returning on multiple days to help perfect their technique.

A new face at the field days was Birgit Kossman, of Great Ocean Road Icelandics, Nullawarre, with her gelding Falinn.

Ms Kossman said Falinn was a great example of the breed – quite, gentle and perfect for families.

“They’ve got a brilliant temperament, they are very willing and co-operative,” she said. Overseas, Ms Kossman said the breed was used in competition and racing. With about 240 Icelandics in Australia, she said the breed’s popularity was growing.

People wanting to try their hand at veterinary work had the chance at this week’s Sungold Field Days.

The Warrnambool Veterinary site hosted a lucky dip-style competition with a difference through its manual pregnancy testing set-up.

Three boxes were set up to replicate cows’ rear ends and gave participants the chance to glove up and see how far along the mock bovines were. The clinic’s Phil Keegan said entry forms had been piling up.

“It’s got a lot of interest and it’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “We’re trying to give a snapshot of what we do… in what is a celebration of agriculture out here at the field days.”

Vet Gemma Chuck joked that it was the cleanest pregnancy test she had ever done.