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www.age.co.nz Thursday, November 7, 2019
DISTRICT CONTEST & SKILLS DAYS 2019 CARTERTON
SATURDAY9TH NOVEMBER 2019
Wairarapa’s top Young Farmers test their skills at Pongaroa this Saturday Young Farmers will be pushing the limits of their mental and physical farming skills at Pongaroa this Saturday.
for the contest with around 300 New Zealand Young Farmer members from throughout the country competing from October to December. At a District Final, the competition is all about having a go, but also an opportunity for the serious farmers to showcase their skills at a competitive level, says district ÿ nal convener Eugene Pitt of the Puketoi club.
S
tarting at 10am at the Pongaroa Domain, 25 Makomako Street, Young Farmers from the Tararua, Wairarapa and southern Hawke’s Bay regions will be competing in the FMG Young Farmer East Coast South District Final. The contestants are Emma Lewin, Guy Wilson, Kit Holmes, Ashley Greer, Sam Cooper, Andrew Mo˜ att, Henry Smith, Simon Dalgliesh, Alice Speedy, Hamish Hammond, Ben Galloway and James Beattie. This is one of 18 district qualifying rounds taking place around New Zealand before Christmas.
Hamish Hammond was the winner of last years’ FMG Young Farmer East Coast South District Final.
The top four ÿ nalists from the East Coast South District Final will go through to the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Regional Final in Waipawa. The other four ÿ nalists for the regional ÿ nals will come from the top four competitors at the East Coast North District Final which is being held on the 30 November.
the Puketoi Young Farmers Club which is based at Pongaroa, with competitors also coming from Wairarapa, South Wairarapa and Dannevirke clubs.
This ÿ nal is being organised by
District Finals are the entry level
Comprising 15 practical and theoretical modules, the spectator-friendly event is an opportunity to see Young Farmers testing their skills.
“It is about participation, learning some new skills, and giving our Young Farmers an opportunity to try an aspect of farming they may have had no previous experience in. “This could be working with animals or equipment they haven’t come across in their usual day-to-day jobs. “Spectators will be able to see a whole range of di˜ erent farming skills and it’s a fun event to come and see.”
Puketoi is a “real community focused club”, says Eugene. “One of our main objectives is to introduce young people into the community. “We get a lot of shepherds from outside the region, especially the South Island. “Of the 20 or so members who come to our monthly meetings at the Pongaroa Hotel, only about three grew up here.” The Puketoi Young Farmers Club meets the third Thursday of every month at the Pongaroa Hotel at 7.30pm. For more information contact ben.galloway@hotmail.co.nz or eugenepitt@hotmail.co.nz The contest is supported by FMG, Ravensdown, Honda, WorkSafe, Zero Harm Farm, STIHL, Lincoln University, Massey University, Southfuels, Northfuels, Betacraft and New Holland.
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Thursday, November 7, 2019 Wairarapa Times-Age
DISTRICT CONTEST & SKILLS DAYS 2019 CARTERTON
SATURDAY9TH NOVEMBER 2019
Best bark wins the day Visitors to Pongaroa for the this year’s FMG Young Farmer East Coast South District Final can also enjoy the Puketoi Young Farmers Bark Up which takes place straight afterwards.
available to all participants including the Kids Bark Up competition which is running for the second time this year. This is for children under 12 who can enter the competition with a dog or without. The Bark Up has been putting Pongaroa on the map, Ben says. But it is also for a good cause, with an auction taking place and all money raised going to the Will to Live charity, a mental health awareness campaign targeting young rural men and women.
T
he Young Farmers competition is at Pongaroa Domain, while the Bark Up is 500 metres back down the road at the Pongaroa Hotel. Shepherds and farmers come from as far away as Taihape and Hawke’s Bay for the Bark Up which last year attracted around 50 dogs and their owners. The dogs are judged on who has the most impressive bark. However, if the dog won’t bark, then the owner has to step in
• The Bark Up will take place in the garden bar of the Pongaroa Hotel. Entries are $10 per dog and free for children under 12 years. Ben with Spring and Patch.
and bark instead, something which happens every year, and creates a lot of laughter, says Puketoi Young Farmers Club chairman Ben Galloway.
This year in the adult section there are ÿ ve categories - Best Dog, Best Bitch, Best Pet, Crowd Favourite and Best Dressed.
win $1000 worth of prizes and all other categories will receive really good prizes sponsored by local businesses.
The supreme champion will
There will also be spot prizes
FROM TOWN TO COUNTRY WE’VE GOT IT COVERED!
• Registrations begin at 3.30pm, with the competition starting at 4pm for the ‘Puketoi Pups’ Kids competition and 5pm for adults.
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www.age.co.nz Thursday, November 7, 2019
South Wairarapa Young Farmers Show DISTRICT
CONTEST & SKILLS DAYS
The Young Farmers Show is back for its 45th year, adding an extra country ˜ avour at the Clareville Showgrounds this Sunday from 9am to 3pm.
SATURDAY9TH NOVEMBER 2019
P
etra Fransen, Aimee France and Rachel Gardner from the South Wairarapa Young Farmers Club have taken this in their stride and have put together a busy programme for the day. The show will be held as a fundraiser with the proceeds being donated to the Rural Support Trust. The public will be able to enjoy equestrian events like show jumping and ˜ at classes, “Shafts and Wheels” (harness driven horses), Kindergarten Pony classes, terrier racing, pet dog and lamb judging, with plenty of donated prizes and ribbons. This show is for all levels of ability – if you have a pet dog, lamb, racing terrier (who likes rabbits!) or have ridden horses/ ponies then this show may be for you.
For more information on entering or timing of these classes please check out the South Wairarapa Young Farmers Club Facebook page @SouthWaiYFC or email southwairarapa.yf@gmail.com The committee would like to sincerely thank these businesses for their generous sponsorship – Animates Masterton, PGG Wrightsons, Mitre 10 Mega and Breadcraft.
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Thursday, November 7, 2019 Wairarapa Times-Age
DISTRICT CONTEST & SKILLS DAYS 2019 CARTERTON
SATURDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 2019
Interest in rural living All you need to join Young Farmers
support for rural youth and personal development through collaboration with partners in the dairy, sheep, and beef industries.
T
To ÿ nd out more about the two Wairarapa clubs contact:
his year the Wairarapa District Final of FMG Young Farmer of the Year is being organised by the South Wairarapa club who meet at Tin Hut, Tauherenikau, every second Monday of month.
• Wairarapa Young Farmers Club – Chair: Ashley Greer Email: wairarapayoungfarmers@ gmail.com Facebook page: @ WairarapaYoungFarmersClub Wairarapa Young Farmers meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at Lonestar Masterton at 7pm.
The district’s other Young Farmers club is Wairarapa Young Farmers who meet at Lonestar Restaurant in Masterton every third Tuesday of the month.
You don’t need to be working in the primary industries sector to come along and join!
You can only join from age 18-31, but there is Teen Ag for secondary schools and Agri Kids for primary school students.
Members are involved in a range of professions, including dairy, sheep & beef, agricultural contracting, banking,
South Wairarapa Young Farmers. [Inset] Wairarapa Young Farmers.
network with like-minded individuals and develop your personal and practical skills by organising and participating in meetings, events, social activities and competitions.
engineering, forestry, butchery, teaching and lifestyle farming. There are over 70 clubs situated around New Zealand and each club has its own identity and community spirit, backed by the national organisation.
New Zealand Young Farmers are committed to contributing to the agri-sector by providing
You make friends for life,
• South Wairarapa Young Farmers Club – Chair: Aimee France Email: southwairarapa.yf@gmail. com Facebook page: @ SouthWaiYFC South Wairarapa Young Farmers Club meets at The Tin Hut, 6.30pm on the second Monday of every month.
WAIRARAPA COLLEGE INSPIRING FARMERS FOR THE FUTURE... Wairarapa College is proud to be educating the next generation. Our renowned Agriculture Department is led by a team of passionate educators and mentors and is equipped with some of the best facilities for secondary agricultural learning in the country. Students learn the science and practical principles of agriculture, horticulture and other primary industries on 22 hectares of fully operational farmland which, in part is made available by the Masterton Trust Lands Trust. The inclusive programme welcomes students from a wide range of backgrounds to explore a career in farming.
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25
www.age.co.nz Thursday, November 7, 2019
Entries open for prestigious Agri KidsNZ Regional Finals 2020
FMG Young Farmer of the Year
The time has come for primary school pupils across the country to get their teams of three together for the AgriKidsNZ Regional Finals! Entries have just opened for the 2020 season which runs alongside the FMG Young Farmer and FMG Junior Young Farmer Contest Regional Finals.
FMG Young Farmer of the Year 2019 James Robertson, 22.
Pupils aged 8 to 13 years old are eligible to enter in teams of three, where they compete in eight di˝ erent modules based on the primary sector.
New Zealand’s ultimate rural challenge FMG Young Farmer of the Year is the ˛ agship event for New Zealand Young Farmers.
I
t is held in high esteem among the rural community and every year up to 300 contestants battle it out for the top spot. The idea emerged from a quiz show at an agricultural university in California, where it was bought to New Zealand and started in 1969.
Throughout New Zealand District Finals are held from October to December, such as the East Coast South Final in Pongaroa this Saturday. The top contestants progress through to their Regional Final which are held from February to April. The seven winners from each regional ÿ nal become Grand Finalists and will battle it out in Christchurch next July for the title of FMG Young Farmer of the Year. Each level of the competition combines practical hands-on
agriculture skills and general knowledge. The level of complexity and di° culty increases as the contestants progress. The Grand Final is a full-on two-day event including a practical day which includes all the hands-on competitions plus technical elements such as an interview and an HR challenge. The contestants must also deliver a convincing speech on a topic speciÿ c to them. To ÿ nd out more go to www.youngfarmers.co.nz
Gumboot throwing, fencing, driving go-karts, sack racing and ÿ tting chains on motorbikes are just some of the practical activities the teams have had to tackle in previous years. Theoretical modules surrounding livestock breeding and genetics, farm safety and healthy soil have also been challenges for children to wrap their brains around. “Watching children learn to work together, develop lifelong skills and make lifelong friendships is pretty special,” NZ Young Farmers Chief Executive Lynda Coppersmith says. Lynda also says the best part about AgriKidsNZ is that anyone can give it a go, you don’t even need to be from a farm to enter!
East Coast Regional Agri Kids Winners 2019 – Stuart Addis, Abby Strang and Chalkie Williams of Tikokino School.
“Most of the challenges are agriculturally based to get kids excited about opportunities in the primary industries. But what it’s all about at the end of the day is getting our kids outside, getting them active and making them smile.” On the day, the top seven teams will go through to each region’s “Race O˝ ” where they will be judged on quality and time over a mixture of tasks. From there, points are tallied and the top three teams from each Regional Final are invited to the Grand Final to battle it out for the Champion’s Title. East Coast regionals will be held on 29 February 2020 in Waipawa. For the 2019 season, ÿ ve regions sold out in record time. The East Coast region was one of those that sold out this year, reaching full capacity very quickly, so it is recommended to enter a team as soon as possible. For more information and to enter visit www.agrikidsnz.co.nz
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Thursday, November 7, 2019 Wairarapa Times-Age
New book explores New Zealand’s DISTRICT CONTEST & best-loved agricultural contest SKILLS DAYS Kate Taylor, freelance journalist and Young Farmer regional ÿ nal contestant, has written a SATURDAY9TH NOVEMBER 2019
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book on the colourful history of the prestigious agricultural contest.
I
n 50 Years Young: A History of the Young Farmer of the Year, Kate meets winners, ÿ nalists and organisers, and shares their stories of passion and commitment.
Warwick, who won in 1995, for 25 years, but I’m not sure I’d ever properly met Grant,” said Kate.
“The book’s full of personal stories about the dedicated people who’ve been involved with contest since it begin in 1969,” she said.
The Young Farmer of the Year has been testing the knowledge, skills and stamina of the country’s food producers for ÿ ve decades.
“Their passion for the contest and for the contest family has blown me away.” Kate spent last year travelling the country conducting interviews, taking photos and collecting information for the 288-page book. “One of the highlights was catching up with old friends from NZ Young Farmers and telling so many stories that could never make the book,” she said. “I also loved meeting some
of the people who have always simply been names on the back of the grand ÿ nal programmes.” “One such moment was meeting up with 1992 winner Grant Catto. I have known his identical twin brother
“Like many New Zealanders, I grew up watching the contest on television. The book has the same broad appeal to both rural and urban people,” she said. “It’s not a farming book. It’s a snapshot of how the contest impacted on people’s lives while at the same time, it re° ects changes in farming in those 50 years too.”
NZ Young Farmers, which runs the FMG Young Farmer of the Year, has been a major part of Kate’s life. “Every time I moved when I was younger I joined a new club. It was a great way to meet people and make friends. I met my husband Thomas when I joined Eskview Young Farmers,” she said. “When I was approached to write the book I didn’t need any convincing to say yes.” The big question is, what does it take to win the FMG Young Farmer of the Year? Kate puts it down to stamina, time management, building support networks, a wide general knowledge, the ability to think outside the square, technique and being prepared. 50 Years Young is published by Massey University Press and can be purchased from book stores and online.
University of Wairere Since 1965 hundreds of young people have started or advanced their farming careers at Wairere. We have invested in them, just as we have in improving the genetics of the sheep we produce. Innovation and breeding rams to meet your future needs, is what we do. Class of 2018/19 (From left to right) Arthur Acland, Matt Watson, George Goodall, Kate Robinson, Anna Vaughan, Olivia Rhodes and Samuel O’Fee.
Making your sheepfarming easier and more profitable www.wairererams.co.nz | 0800 WAIRERE (0800 924 7373))