Written by Bryce Win - Tasman representative at the Season 58 Grand Final

From the moment I qualified for the regional final, I was worried. I learned that the regional would be held sometime in February—right around the time I was set to be wed. Luckily enough, they fell on two different dates.

Then came the preparation. In my mind, this was going to be my last crack at this, no matter the results. So, I studied, I trained, and I drove my fiancée absolutely crazy. I listened to previous contestants to hear what they would do differently, took it all on board, and then... I won.

Double fist pump.

From there, it was a whirlwind. I was balancing media interviews with shearing sheep, all while listening to the other finalists' interviews and realising these guys were at the absolute top of their game. Being flown into Christchurch to meet them and chatting with sponsors was an eye-opener. One of the other finalists said it best: it was like a team-building exercise for people you were about to compete against.

We were given massive tasks to complete before the competition even took place—the kind of stuff you don’t see on the livestream or social media. We had to design an innovation project (creating a business that wasn’t conventional livestock farming) and produce a three-minute video on community or industry involvement. The due date was right before we had to attend Fieldays.

Fieldays was an experience in itself. Thousands of people looking for deals, while the contestants and I were once again in front of sponsors, speaking after politicians, and filming social media content. It was a bit much for a guy who’s not even on Facebook.

We also had to write a four-minute speech and prepare a presentation for our business project. All of this was taking place while I was trying to learn how a milking shed actually works, the fastest way to put in a stay post, and studying for the quiz.

Needless to say, I was busier than a one-armed bricklayer in Mumbai.

Finally, on July 1st, it was time to head north. We arrived early in the day, figured our way around the three main streets of New Plymouth, and waited for the other contestants. From then on, it was a complete blur.

Thursday morning started with a 5:30 am wake-up to have breakfast with Kane Brisco, a Farmstrong ambassador. Then it was straight into Technical Day. It started with an HR challenge where I was thrown into a room to roleplay a dispute between my boss and the neighbour after his prized bull got in amongst our cows following a storm. Add to that a three-hour exam based on a large-scale Canterbury dairy farm, the business presentation, and an interview about our community footprint.

Friday is the marquee day everyone pictures when they think of the competition: Practical Day.

Wake-up was at 5:15 am, and we were in the van by 6:00 am heading to Stratford, getting briefed on our "farmlet"—a small plot of land where we had a mountain of tasks to complete. This year’s farmlet was based around storm recovery.

In just two hours, we had to:

· Install a Halter tower.

· Cut a fallen branch off a fence and turn it into firewood.

· Repair the fence, dig in a strainer post, and install a two-wire electric fence.

· Change the liners in a milk cluster.

· Re-bead and re-inflate a tyre.

· Connect a water trough to a mainline.

· Install a railing fence, hang a hay feeder, and create a sediment trap.

· Identify seven different cheeses, design a cheese board, and serve cheese and crackers on it.

· Plant a bunch of trees.

In the middle of all that, we also had seven 25-minute sponsor modules, had to shear a sheep, build a calf feeder, and carve the number 58 into a log.

The day ended with a rapid-fire race against the other six competitors to put on a ram harness, fill a calf feeder, repair a punctured tyre, sort wool, trim a cow hoof, fillet a fish, build a washing line, complete a NZYF puzzle, cut out a picture of Mount Taranaki, drive a tractor carrying a bucket of water, and finally, hammer a picture of our own face into the ground.

I was overwhelmed, but I was laughing the entire day and having an absolute blast. I didn’t perform my best on the practical day, but hey—that’s showbiz, baby.

That Friday night, we gave our speeches in front of a massive crowd. Truly, no rest for the wicked.

Saturday was a bit more chilled out. We spent the morning at New Plymouth Boys' High with the junior competitors building a tractor out of craft supplies, followed by a soundcheck with Radar and the AV team.

By the time the Saturday night Grand Final and quiz rolled around, I was pretty relaxed. I knew I hadn't covered myself in glory on the practical day, so it was all about having a good time. I was sitting in seventh place heading into the quiz. I answered some tough questions correctly and was really happy with my performance, ultimately finishing the evening seventh out of seven by just two points.

Despite the placing, I had a smile on my face from Thursday morning until the early hours of Sunday. My laugh never stopped, and I walked away having met some of the top blokes in the country. It was an absolute honour to represent the Tasman Region, the community of Dovedale, the Nelson/Tasman district, and the whole Top of the South.

A huge thank you to the ladies in the kitchen and the bar staff. But seriously, thank you to all those who helped me along the way. I felt the support of everyone wishing me well and teaching me new tricks.

If you're between 16 and 31, I'd highly encourage you to join Young Farmers and give it a go. Tasman Valley Young Farmers meets on the second Wednesday of each month, and we'd love to see some new faces. If you're not local, there are clubs right around the country. Or if you've got younger children who are keen, there's FMG Junior Young Farmer for ages 13–18 and AgriKidsNZ for ages 8–13.

My wife and I spent a few extra days exploring New Plymouth afterward. Watching the other competitors and reflecting on the week, I realised something.

I don't have the drive, or even the desire, to go back and try to win it.

Not because I didn't enjoy it.

Quite the opposite.

I achieved everything I wanted to. I tested myself against six of the best young farmers in the country, made friendships I'll have for life, and experienced something that very few people ever get the chance to do.

Less than 400 people have ever stood on the stage as a New Zealand Young Farmer of the Year Grand Finalist.

I'm proud to be one of them.

Not bad for a bloke from Dovedale.