Wired in: Denvah Matthews with one of the more astounding creations that were on display during the final Ag Art Wear parade at Elmore Field Days last week.
Elmore Field Days stalwart Lorraine Trewick steps down as co-ordinator of the Ag Art fashion show with a mixture of feelings.
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Having reached retirement age some years ago, she is keen to take a break and concentrate on other things but is sorry to see the fashion show end after more than 20 years at Elmore.
The unusual parade features colourful, innovative and sometimes bizarre dresses created by imaginative dress designers drawing on agricultural items like baling twine, wool packs, silage wrap and even animal bones.
Elmore Field Days has a tradition of drawing in long-term volunteers from the district and Lorraine recalls that she was conscripted soon after she was married, leading to involvement for more than 50 years.
Say cheese: Fonterra Stanhope used its tastiest cheese on free pizzas offered to farmers on Wednesday at the field days. Kyabram dairy farmer Mark Mullins and Lockington’s Paul Weller, representing Fonterra Australia Suppliers Council, were enjoying the afternoon tea.
Photo by
Holly Daniel
“I’ve loved it,’’ she said.
Lorraine travelled to New Zealand in 2000 on holidays with her husband, where they saw an Ag Art event at the Hamilton National Field Days and immediately thought they should bring the idea back to Elmore.
“We were just blown away by it. I told the committee and they said, that’s fine; you will have to do it. So I did ever since.”
She was stunned by the inventiveness of the designers. “Every year I would think: well they won’t be able to top that, and they do.”
Woolly wonder: Wool handling student Anna Lowe, from Timmering, works on the wool table at Elmore. She is studying a certificate 4 in wool classing with Shearer Wool Handling Training. Her trainer Marion Kelly is also pictured.
Lorraine recalls the best she ever saw was by Nola Wallis who used an angle grinder to cut animal bones into rings, which formed the basis of the dress.
She has also seen a few she didn’t like at all, but didn’t want to go into detail. Some fell apart when exposed to moisture and some didn’t quite live up to the high standards set by the competition.
The dresses have been invariably modelled by adventurous local girls including seven out of eight granddaughters of Lorraine.
Field Days president Scott Nichol said the event had been well run but rising costs and a declining number of new designers entering, spelled the end of the project.
Trewick tradition: St Joseph's Primary School principal Liz Trewick was master of ceremonies for the final Ag Art fashion parade, held in the Holmberg Pavilion at the Elmore Field Days last week. The Trewick family has a storied history with the event.
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