Youngest contestant to win his regionals steps up to battle it out for the Young Farmer of the Year title

Jock Bourke is a man of few words, but out on the farm he packs a punch.

At just 19-years-old, he was the youngest contestant in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Taranaki Manawatu Regional Final, claiming the win for his chance at national glory.

How did he feel about this?

“Yeah, pretty stoked.”

The third-year Agricultural Science student grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Hamua, Eketahuna, learning the ropes from his parents. His father, he says, is his biggest mentor in the field. 

“I’ve always enjoyed working with animals and with my parents. We’d feed out hay bales from the back of an old trailer and I learnt how to drench alongside my old man.”

Although becoming a Grand Finalist came as “a bit of a surprise”, Jock felt it was his university studies that gave him that extra leg up.

“You get a lot more of the business and science side of things that maybe everyday farmers don’t get to learn a lot about,” he says.

As he studies towards a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Massey University, Jock gives kudos to his high school agriculture teachers, who encouraged him to enrol in the first place.

“They kept pushing me to study at Massey, and I’m glad I did, because it’s turned out to be a very supportive environment.”

During the university breaks, Jock manages to get out on the farm to brush up on his practical skills and put his knowledge to the test.

He says it was his upbringing on the farm that gave him the necessary skills to be a successful competitor and hopes this will give him an advantage in July’s Grand Final.

“While I like uni, I still prefer a more ‘hands on’ approach, and I get the best of both worlds when I can put my knowledge to practice, and problem solve with what I’ve learnt on farm and in class.”

Jock joined his NZ Young Farmers club three years ago when he began his studies and says it’s helped teach him how to collaborate with people and facilitate events that Massey young farmers members would be interested in.

“It would be great to see more people getting involved, even those who are a bit hesitant to join. It’s a great culture to be around and there’s heaps of opportunities for learning and meeting new people.”

“The change from Junior Farmers to Young Farmer of the Year was definitely a big step up but the support and encouragement from past contestants and farmers alike has made the transition easier,” he says.

“Lots of past contestants have offered to help me with their resources. People in the region have also been really supportive and offered to help in the lead up to the final.”

When asked what his dream is, Jock doesn’t hesitate to say he’d like to return to the family farm. 

“Whether I’m owning it or managing it, that would be pretty cool. That’s a goal I’m always working towards.”