Self Driving Tractors and High Speed Sports Cars Ensure a Unique Business Networking Event for Guests of the Hertfordshire Agricultural Society
Hertfordshire Business Leaders enjoyed a unique morning of networking on Tuesday 3rd March, learning to drive tractors, diggers and forklifts, as well as high octane sports cars, courtesy of the Hertfordshire Agricultural Society, Oliver Landpower and a group of local farmers. The event – which is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK! – took place at Bovingdon Airfield and was aimed at raising the profile of the Hertfordshire Agricultural Society (HAS) and encouraging partnerships with the Hertfordshire County Show, which takes place on the 23rd and 24th May 2020.
“The Show attracts over 30,000 visitors from Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas, providing the perfect platform for local companies to promote their brand, network with others and showcase their products face to face with visitors”, said Sarah Mooreland, HAS Executive Director, “we organised this event to demonstrate the opportunities available to businesses that support the Show. It has been an outstanding success and allowed our farmers the chance to talk about their machinery, and how technology is changing their way of life so rapidly. It also provided a valuable opportunity for guests to network with other like minded businesses that they might not meet at normal events.” At the event Sarah discussed news about the Show and the planned educational day later this year, for local Primary Schools.
Guests included Senior Managers and CEOs from a variety of well known companies, including Elstree Studios, Hillier Hobson, Metro Bank and Sherrards Solicitors. The Watford Chamber of Commerce were also in attendance and invited a number of their board and members to take part. Saffron Johnson of the Watford Chamber said it was ‘a great event, great feedback and great exposure for the show’. The vehicles were generously supplied by long standing Show supporters Oliver Landpower and other members of the Society including the current Chair, Will Dickinson and his family, and Dan & Geoff Simms. The vehicles were state of the art farm machinery that use the latest GPS technology – guests didn’t event have to use the steering wheel because they drive themselves! Visitors were also encouraged to try their hand at forklift driving and using a digger to move gravel from one side of the runway to the other.
The MD of Oliver Landpower, Charlie Glenister gave an informative talk on the state of agriculture in the county, how technology is advancing so quickly and why companies should support the show to ensure the future of farming locally and nationally. John Humphreys of Oliver Landpower was also the 2019 HAS president and found it ‘very worthwhile for the HAS and for Oliver Landpower’.
An added bonus for guests was the chance to do a couple of laps of the track in some of the fastest sports cars around. HAS would like to thank to Drift Limits who supplied a range cars including Teslas, Audis and others. Kane Hughes of Drift Limits said it was ‘an absolutely fabulous event to host’.
Written by Jim Chetwode
