An all-girl trio from Duntroon School are now among the best of the "next generation" of young farmers, after securing third place at the 2024 New Zealand Young Farmers AgriKids grand final in Hamilton this month.
In its 56th year, the 2024 AgriKids competition runs alongside the FMG New Zealand Young Farmer of the Year and the Junior Young Farmer of the Year competitions.
The competitions are held up as the country’s most prestigious rural contest series, dedicated to showcasing the very best talent New Zealand’s food and fibre sector has on offer.
The final two-day competition, held on July 11-13, featured a range of challenges, including modules, quizzes, and an AgriKids race-off for the grand final.
Duntroon School senior teacher Kate Frear encouraged pupils to enter the AgriKids competition and guided the competitors, Greer Neal, Olivia Strachan and Leah Wilson, known as the Milking Manics.
The team won the regional finals for the Aorangi region before placing third in the grand final.
The pupils were buzzing from placing in the top three in the final.
"I felt quite amazed that we had done it. It’s a big thing," Leah said.
"I felt really good because it was really good that out of 21 teams, we came in the top three and we were the only all-girls teams to place," Olivia said.
"We did what we did to get as many points as we could to come third and it was our first time," Greer said.
"We’d never been to the nationals before. The other two teams had been to nationals before," she said.
Mrs Frear said this was the first time Duntroon School pupils had entered the competition and emotions were high when they placed third.
"I was stoked. I do have a bit of a competitive streak in me. It was great for a wee rural school. It was a bit special because it was three girls.
"I was lucky I got to go with them and to sit there and cry when they got third. It was really exciting; it was very cool.
"It was a cool atmosphere. Everyone gets behind each other. Whether you were from Aorangi or other regions, whether you’re AgriKids or AgriTeen or the Young Farmer, you’re all involved ... it was quite inclusive," Mrs Frear said.
Duntroon School principal Mike Turner said it was an " amazing achievement" at an event that celebrates all things agriculture.
"The two teams that they beat, they were boys teams too, so actually they are the No1 girls team in New Zealand. That’s pretty special."
The challenges the team faced were diverse: from cropping, identifying wallabies and pests, to throwing horseshoes, identifying nitrates and labelling motorbike parts.
They said the challenges required "good teamwork".
"There were laminated bits of paper with half a word on them and we had to stick them on certain spots on the motorbike.
"So we had ‘knobbly’, and we had no clue where it was going, so we just had to keep going until we finally got the tyres. Knobbly tyres," Leah said.
"There was a map of your farm and you had beef and lamb, and you had sheep on one side of the river and cows on the other, and you had enough wood to put on one side, and you had to decide which side to put it on, and you had to put plants somewhere to stop erosion," Olivia said.
"And you had to identify where the most dangerous places on the driveway were, which was a bridge," Greer said.
Mrs Frear said the group received a "tips and tricks" sheet but were not aware of what the challenges would be in the final.
The girls visited a farm and had a "study night" to prepare for the competition.
"We went to Jane Smith’s farm," Mrs Frear said.
"To look at Newhaven Perendales (sheep)," Leah said.
"To identify tools, to have a look at sheep’s teeth, to see how old they are," Greer said.
"And use some drench, which was water," Olivia said.
Duntroon local Errol Wills said he was extremely proud of their achievement.
"[It] shows that young people do have the drive and enthusiasm for the farming industry."
Mr Turner said the school was grateful for all the community support and sponsorship they received to help it enter the competition.
"The board, home and school, all got involved to help and sponsored them. Clubs and associations, Omarama Rodeo, Five Forks Young Farmers, Real Fruit Ice-Cream and Kurow Cruisers, the car club.
"It was a fantastic opportunity and we said ‘let’s make sure they get to go’.
"They had a blast of a time and came third in the country ... they smashed it."
