Last chance at rural stardom for young Whitford farmer  – Times

A younger Auckland farmer is in it to win it after two years of coming in second.

Final weekend marked 31-year-old Whitford-based Sam Waugh’s final probability to compete on the extremely anticipated Northern FMG Younger Farmer of the 12 months Regional Last. The 2-day contest was held from April 12-13 at Mangakahia Sports activities and Group Advanced in Poroti in Whangārei.

It’s the seventh and ultimate regional competitors within the race to seek out New Zealand’s prime younger farmers for 2024. Six different regional finals have taken place throughout Aotearoa between February and April, with solely the highest contestants qualifying for a spot on the FMG Younger Farmer of the 12 months Grand Last, being held in Hamilton in July.

Waugh is amongst 80 AgriKidsNZ, FMG Junior Younger Farmer and FMG Younger Farmer contestants from Auckland and Northland vying for this yr’s Northern regional contest. Inserting second eventually yr’s contest has solely fuelled his willpower to offer all of it he’s acquired.

Waugh spends his days managing 125 cows on the NZ Younger Farmer-owned instructional dairy farm ‘Donald’s Farm’ in Whitford, Auckland. Working with a number of faculties within the area, Waugh and his staff join college students to not simply farming however the wider meals and fibre sector.

Reflecting on his decade as a Younger Farmer’s chief and member, Waugh says the one piece of recommendation he would give to passionate younger farmers is to embrace discomfort, not simply within the competitors however in life.

“Usually those who’re nervous to offer it a go get probably the most out of it. Be snug being uncomfortable, as a result of that’s the place you develop probably the most. I do know I’ve, no less than,” says Waugh.

Convenor and Whangarei Younger Farmers member Ira Martinac says contestants might want to showcase a large breadth of information in the event that they wish to progress to the grand ultimate.

Contestants will compete in one in every of three classes relying on their age. Main faculty college students, some as younger as eight, can enter the AgriKidsNZ contest, whereas highschool college students, working in groups of two, are eligible for the FMG Junior Younger Farmer of the 12 months competitors. Those that’ve left faculty compete alone for a shot at rural stardom within the FMG Younger Farmer of the 12 months.

NZ Younger Farmers chief govt Lynda Coppersmith says it’s encouraging to see a excessive variety of entries into this yr’s competitors, with 43 per cent of contestants being first-timers.

“That is the 56th season of FMG New Zealand Younger Farmers and it’s shaping as much as be one in every of our greatest but with many new faces together with numerous major college students coming into our AgriKidsNZ competitors. It simply goes to indicate the way forward for farming is in good arms,” says Coppersmith.