Both the grand finalist and third-place winners at the regional competition come from the area. In the past two years the competition has been dominated by Mid Canterbury contestants.
Aorangi Regional FMG Young Farmer of the Year, Glenavy sharemilker Arjan Van't Klooster (25), representing North Otago, won the Agmardt Agri-business Challenge and the Massey University Agri-growth Challenge at the weekend and performed well enough in the practical components to finish in the top spot in Methven.
Third place-getter John Mehrtens (30), of Glenavy, won the Agri-sports challenge.
Mr Van't Klooster, who was tipped as a ``hot favourite'' by FMG Young Farmer of the Year organisers, said he was under pressure.
``To take the win was quite a surprise - a good surprise,'' he said yesterday.
Aorangi has produced the past two Young Farmers of the Year - both from Mid-Canterbury - and the pressure would only intensify before Mr Van't Klooster travelled to the grand final of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year, from July 6 to July 8 in the Manawatu, with six other grand finalists from around New Zealand.
``I've really got to put in some work now and do the whole region proud as well as friends and family.''
The bachelor of commerce and agriculture graduate and his fiancee, Kelsi Chamberlain, last year bought a 164ha dairy farm where they run 600 cows in between being lower-order sharemilkers on Mr Van't Klooster's parents' 1200-cow property.
Second place went to Toby How (29), of Timaru, at the weekend.