When looking over 90ha of paddocks alongside State Highway 1 in Milton it may just look like grass but for many of the country's top ploughmen and plough women, it's where they plough the field of dreams.
"Oh you get great pride looking at a straight furrow," said judge Bruce Chittock.
"It just looks perfect, it has to be straight, straight in my books - it's not easy."
One of the few female competitors, Tryphena Carter, also echoed the frustration with trying to nail the perfect plough.
"If we have a bad day we can all throw our toys out don't you worry."
More than 30 competitors have travelled to Milton for the New Zealand Ploughing Championships.
There's five classes - all hold a fierce rivalry with competitors trying to nail their skill technique and precision for the perfect plough.
"There's 20 different aspects you get judged on so you've got to do the best you can in every aspect to add up to the total at the end of the day," said competitor Mark Dillon.
Dillon has been competing for decades but these championships are significant with three generations of Dillon men involved.
His father Richard is a former competitor and is helping this week as a judge. Mark is competing once again in the conventional class while his son Blain is taking on his first national champs in the novice category.
I'm better off to keep away from him [Blaine]," said Richard Dillon.
"He is listening so I'm very proud of him in that way because sometimes he might say that 'silly old bugger doesn't' know so much'."
Blaine disagreed.
"I listen to him a bit of the time," said Blaine.
"But it does go in one ear and out the other."
Becoming a national champion isn't the only prize on offer in Milton - the top ploughmen and ploughwomen qualify for the world champs held in Estonia next year.
"It's a great honour to represent New Zealand," said Bob Mehrtens, who has been to multiple world championships before.
"We're here to win and then that's your goal at the end of it to go to the worlds."
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