He hadn’t been to Fieldays for a couple of years, so Tairāwhiti resident Callum Thompson never dreamed he would walk away the winner of a brand-new Isuzu D-Max.
“I saw the Isuzu utes at the gate when I arrived at Fieldays, but never, ever thought I would win,” said Thompson, who was still in shock after receiving the call from New Zealand National Fieldays Society CEO Peter Nation.
“No one ever knows anyone who has won a prize like this. When I told my mates last week, they all thought I was joking”.
The news has set the town abuzz with excitement.
“Funnily enough, I walk past the local Isuzu dealership every time I head to my post box, which is usually a couple of times a week. I have seen the utes all lined up on display, but never for a minute thought I would ever own one, it’s mind blowing,” Thompson said.
He works in the finance industry with a number of clients in the agricultural sector, so a trip to Fieldays was a chance to check out what was new in the industry and see the advances in innovation.
“June 2021 was the last time I was at Fieldays, so it was great to be back.
“Things have been pretty tough down in Gisborne and the surrounding areas, so it was great to be able to come to Fieldays and support the sector, catch up with a few people and enjoy a day out.”
To be eligible to win the Isuzu D-Max LX Double Cab ute with added accessories, valued at over $75,000 including on road costs, visitors to Fieldays needed to collect a Smart Band on entry, register their details, scan their Smart Band at the Isuzu site and drop it off into one of the four Isuzu utes at the end of the day.
“I have never won anything significant in my life, to be honest not even an egg and spoon race,” said Thompson. “It hasn’t really sunk in.”
