Society volunteers recognised at Volunteering Waikato Awards

22 June 2026

Society volunteers recognised at Volunteering Waikato Awards

The Society has celebrated the success of two Fieldays volunteers at the 2026 Volunteering Waikato Awards, with Alexander ‘Keith’ Flockhart named winner of the Event Volunteer of the Year Award and Chris Horsfield recognised as runner-up.

Now in its third year as sponsor of the award, the NZ National Fieldays Society is proud to support recognition of event volunteers whose dedication, energy and tireless efforts are often the backbone of successful events across the Waikato.

The Event Volunteer of the Year Award recognises volunteers who make a significant contribution to events, celebrating the passionate individuals who bring commitment and heart to the experiences that inspire and unite communities.

Keith was recognised for the wide range of support he gave at Fieldays 2025. He volunteered 36 hours during the event across Customer Engagement and the Inwards Parcel Hub, helping exhibitors with queries, compliance, parcel deliveries and collection. He also contributed 25 hours before and after the event, installing and removing signage across the Mystery Creek site.

Since joining as a volunteer in early 2024, Keith has also given more than 40 hours to the Society’s Weeding Warriors programme, helping remove invasive weeds and restore native ecosystems on the Mystery Creek Events Centre property.

Chris was recognised for his leadership as Parking Team Lead for the Red/Orange carpark, the largest parking area at Fieldays, with capacity for more than 5,000 vehicles. He led volunteers and school students through difficult, wet and muddy conditions, helping thousands of visitors arrive safely and efficiently.

His contribution included 34 hours on-site and a further 12 hours supporting parking training, planning and debrief activity. Feedback provided by Chris after the event helped inform improvements at Fieldays 2026.

The Society also nominated John Moody for the Unsung Hero Award and Neil Quinlan for the Long Service Award. Both received certificates acknowledging their contribution.

As a volunteer-led organisation, the Society understands the significant role volunteers play in bringing events to life. Fieldays volunteers exemplify this spirit through their service at Mystery Creek each year, making the Society’s continued sponsorship of the Event Volunteer of the Year Award a fitting way to champion and honour event volunteers across the region.

The Society congratulates Keith, Chris, John and Neil, along with all Volunteering Waikato Awards recipients, and acknowledges the important role volunteers play in supporting events and communities across the Waikato.

Learn more about the Awards.