Competition boosts community spirit
The real winner of this year’s FMG Young Farmer Region-off have been the regional communities.
The competitions test skills, strength and stamina while introducing youth to the fun side of agriculture. Primary and high school students from all walks of life are welcome to join in.
Otago / Southland held their Regional Final in Alexandra at Pioneer Park with High Country Kids, Archie Calder, Justin Tudor & Bridget Malcolm from Omakau School taking home the top honour in the AgriKidsNZ competition and Organic Butchers, Jamie Stevens & Kurt Knarston from Southland Boys' High School were the top team in the TeenAg event.
Rounding out the top three for AgriKidsNZ was Clinton NRG, Nicholas Anderson, Ruby Williams & Grace Beattie in second place from Clinton School and third place went to The Little Blue Boys, Ben Drummond, Lachlan Thomson & Jacob Hammond from Limehills School.
AgriKidsNZ is open to children 8-13 years of age and they compete in teams of three while the TeenAg competition calls for high school students 13-18 years old, competing in pairs.
"It was really great to see the AgriKidsNZ entries reach over capacity once again in Otago / Southland, it shows how passionate they are about getting involved in the agriculture industry," commented Josie Hampton, AgriKidsNZ & TeenAg project leader.
There was some fierce competition amongst the TeenAg competitors. Blackmounters, Thomas Slee & Andrew Baker from Southland Boys' High School & John McGlashan College took home second place and in third was Glenham Monsters, Jeffrey Robinson & Justin Boyd from Menzies College.
The competitions are structured into eight modules which can test anything and everything farm related. The top scoring seven teams continue through to the Race-Off challenge where contestants must work as a team and complete a series of tasks as fast as possible.
Top three teams from each Regional Final are invited to attend the 2014 Grand Final held in Christchurch, July 3-5 where they will battle it out for the national champion's title.
Several Regional Final events are nearing capacity which presents an exciting challenge for event organisers.
"With this year's competition level stepped up a notch for both AgriKids and TeenAg we are certainly looking forward to finding our skilled and talented Grand Finalists with five Regional Finals to go," says Hampton.
