Otago farmer wins his dream title

“I watched the Young Farmer of the Year when I was a child, so to win it is a childhood dream that I think will take a long time to sink in,” Woodhead says.

“My wife Leanne and I worked really hard, and to win this is incredible.”

Woodhead (28) farms the land he grew up on, having recently taken over the family’s 400ha sheep and beef farm about 10 minutes south of Milton. His father, Stephen Woodhead, the Otago Regional Council chairman, is a previous Young Farmer of the Year contestant.

Schooled at Milton and Otago Boys High School, Woodhead graduated from Lincoln University with a BAgSc and worked at Midlands Seed in Ashburton for five years before returning to the family farm.

He made the final after four previous appearances in a regional competition. Unusually, all seven of this year’s finalists were first-timers in the national final.

Woodhead said he knew the competition would be tough, and that he would have to excel in the practical sections, knowing he was facing strong competition from the eventual second-placed Hamish Best in the technical sections.

Contest chairman and former grand finalist Dean Rabbidge says he was thrilled to see an Otago Southland farmer take the title home for the first time in over 20 years.

“History has been made tonight in a proud farming province and we couldn’t be happier.”

NZ Young Farmers chief executive Terry Copeland says Woodhead is the epitome and pinnacle of what future leaders in the agri-sector need to be.

“Nigel is an inspiring future leader who showcases the exceptional leaders we strive to develop.”

To reach the final, about 400 contestants competed in 22 district contest and skills days, then seven regional finals in the Northern, Waikato-Bay of Plenty, Taranaki-Manawatu, East Coast, Tasman, Aorangi, and Otago-Southland regions.

In the grand final, Woodhead was placed first overall ahead of Hamish Best, representing the East Coast, and Andrew Wiffen, from Tasman, third.

Woodhead was also named the winner of the Ravensdown Agri-Skills Challenge, and Best also won the Agmardt Agri-business Challenge and the Meridian Energy Agri-knowledge Quiz and Speech Challenge.

Northern’s Lisa Kendall took the Massey University Agri-Growth Challenge and Aorangi’s Arjan van’t Klooster the Hynds Agri-Sport Challenge.