Grant Chalmers, from Southland Farm Machinery, sits astride a toy John Deere front-end loader, worth $450, beside a large tractor, worth $285,000, at the Southern Field Days at Waimumu yesterday. PHOTOS: STEPHEN JAQUIERY : Southern Field Days

Siblings (from left) Harriet (7), George (5) and May (9) Dyson, who live near Lake Hauroko and are home-schooled, plan their attack at the field days. : Southern Field Days

Macaela Hawkins (at left), from the Southland District Council, hands out balloons. : Southern Field Days

Enjoying a day out are 4-year-olds (from left) Zabian Roy, Joshua Broughton, both of Balfour, Mihai Stan, of Riversdale, Kade Gerken, of Balfour, and Beau Duffy, of Riversdale, from the Funshine Early Learning Centre in Riversdale. : Southern Field Days

Arthur Steinhauser (left) and pilot operator Marcus Sargent, from Invercargill-based Videocopter. : Southern Field Days

Erena Weavers, Evelyne Adamson and Mavis Penisula, all of Invercargill, and Wendy Mullin, of Tapanui, on toilet cleaning duty. : Southern Field Days

Mike Solari, of Gore Rotary, mans the car park gates. : Southern Field Days