Cam Clayton, 30 from Te Aroha, a self-employed sheep and beef farmer was announced as the winner of the Waikato Bay of Plenty FMG Young Farmer of the Year on Saturday evening, after spending the day competing in a series of challenges at Te Teko Racecourse.
The FMG Young Farmer of the Year is a highlight in the rural calendar, boasting a strong track record of showcasing the rising stars in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector – igniting contestants’ competitive streak and setting the bar for excellence in agriculture.
“It’s an amazing feeling. The whole day was a real test, and my competition didn’t go down easy. But it feels great to be one step closer to making it back-to-back titles for Waikato.”
Three age-based categories were featured in the competition. Primary school pupils tackled AgriKids NZ, high school students competed for the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year title, while eight finalists battled for the coveted Young Farmer of the Year crown.
Clayton clocked up the most points on the day 309.45, defeating Te Miro farmer Stephen Brunskill who finished up with a score of 306.45. Edward Roskam made it to the final spot on the podium after a high-energy day of competing neck-and-neck.
The competition featured 5 grueling challenges including Agri-sports challenge and an intense ‘buzzer-style’ quiz that rewarded quick thinking. Each task was crafted to expose how well contestants could apply their practical skills and technical knowledge while working against the clock.
“I had done a fair bit of study, so I felt confident going into the quiz. But I knew that a broad range of skills would be required so I just tried to lean on past experience and stay focused.”
The AgriKids NZ competition saw New Zealand’s youngest farmers share their new-generation know-how across a series of modules.
The Otewe Gumboot Gang (Otewa School, Jack Woodward, Isaac Wilson, Laura Connoly) took out the top spot for AgriKids NZ, followed by the Marotiri Moo Crew (Mariotiri School Annabel Shaw, Kate Brando, and Jacob Hargreaves) and Marotiri Merinos (Mariotiri School, Zara Waterworth, Gabe Hilhorst and Harry Groves), rounding out the top 3.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Barbour and Toby Christensen from Putaruru College and John Paul College took out the title of Waikato Bay of Plenty FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year, ahead of Kendra Grayling and Morgan Shannon from Te Awamutu College.
Along with Clayton, the top AgriKids NZ and FMG Junior teams will now compete in July’s Grand Final in New Plymouth.
New Zealand Young Farmers CEO Cheyne Gillooly says it’s been great to see friends, family, and Young Farmers club members supporting their fellow contestants, with Season 58 turning over the highest attendance of entrants in recent years.
“FMG Young Farmer of the Year is a true celebration of agriculture and the people who drive it. From the youngest contestant just beginning, to the oldest who is giving it their last shot, the strength in which people show up for their community makes me so proud of what Young Farmers represents.”
The FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest is proudly supported by FMG, Ravensdown, MPI, Milwaukee, Honda, Lincoln University, PTS, New Holland, Bushbuck and ACC.
ENDS
For more information on the regional finals across Aotearoa, visit youngfarmers.co.nz/contest/regional-finals
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