Farming talent on show at Annual Conference

The National Bank Young Farmer Contest wasn’t the only hot competition on in Masterton recently. The NZYF National Competition Finals were held during the TBfree New Zealand Young Farmers Annual Conference. Young Farmers from all over New Zealand converged on Masterton to compete in or watch the action.

The NZYF National Fencing Competition Finals were held at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre on Thursday June 30th in wet and muddy conditions. Seven teams from around New Zealand had each won their respective regional finals and had won the right to compete at the national finals. FCANZ (Fencing Contractors’ Association New Zealand) supported the event and Goldpine sponsored the NZYF Goldpine Fencing Competition, with materials supplied by Goldpine and Strainrite.

The Otago/Southland team of Pete Gardyne and Brad McNamara were the clear winners with 33.5 points. Pete and Brad are both from the Waitane Club and received a $1000 prize pack from Goldpine’s Tim Williams for their efforts. Pete is no stranger to fencing under pressure, having done his fair share in The National Bank Young Farmer Contest last year as a Grand Finalist. Brad also has a lot of experience having started helping out with fencing on the family farm as young as the age of seven. In second place with 22.5 points were Marton Club Members Nigel Will and Pete Fitzherbert from Waikato/Bay of Plenty. Nigel and Pete have competed as a team at the national finals for the past three years. Piaere Club Members Baz Nelis and Mike van Marrewijk were representing Waikato/Bay of Plenty and finished with 21.5 points.

The CRV Ambreed National Competition Stock Judging Finals also took place on Thursday June 30th. Olivia Ross from the Dunedin Club won the cattle section with 141 points and Angus Waghorn took out the sheep section with 141 points. Olivia also scored well across the board to take out the overall prize with 380 points. Annette Crawshaw from the Massey University Club was second with 375 points and Jayson Thompson, Regional Chair of Waiakato/Bay of Plenty and Ngarua club member was third with 358 points. Performance Beef Breeders partnered with NZYF to organise this event which is sponsored by CRV Ambreed.

The photography competition was taken out by Sonja Teague of the Waimakiriri Club and the annual Inter-region tug-o-war competition was fiercely fought, but it was the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Region that went away with the win at the Solway A&P Showgrounds.

Competitions weren’t the only thing happening at the NZYF TBfree Annual Conference however; along with workshops, bus tours and a debating night that was won by the North Island team, the NZYF Annual General Meeting was also held at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park. 145 Young Farmer Members from around the country attended the meeting. A new board was elected at the AGM: 31 year old Paul Olsen from the Opiki Club was voted in again for a two year term along with new board member Vanessa Hore (29) from the Upper Manuherikia Club. Cambridge Club Member Jason Hoyle (30) was re-elected for a one year term along with new board member 24 year old Cole Groves from the Dunsandel Club. They will join new Contest Chairman Bevan Profit, Co-opted Board Member Sarah von Dadleszen, Strategic Partner David Pratt and NZYF CEO Richard Fitzgerald on the board. The board will elect one of the new elected members as NZYF President within the next month.