Farmer gets second chance to ‘go for gold’

Alex Field knows "a crazy amount of dedication" will be involved in the next five months as he prepares for the FMG Young Farmer of the Year grand final in July.

The Mossburn farm manager won the Otago Southland final of the competition on Saturday.

West Otago Club member Isaac Johnston (28) was runner-up and Clinton South Otago Club member George Blyth (22) was third.

The practical aspect of the competition was held at the Southern Field Days Waimumu site and the evening event at the Gore Town and Country Club.

The event was limited to 100 spectators.

This is the second time Mr Field (28), a member of the Nightcaps club, has qualified for the grand final.

He had a busy time ahead of him, Mr Field said.

"If I’m not working I’ll be preparing for the contest.

"Goodbye social life."

As he remembered the effort he put into getting ready in 2019, he knew the "intensity I need to bring to it".

"I put everything into it last time and it wasn’t enough."

It was his last opportunity to take part in the national final as entrants were limited to two chances.

"It will be go for gold."

While some people took time off work to prepare, many aspects of his job were relevant to the skills tested in the competition.

"I just have to identify what areas I need to improve on that my job doesn’t do naturally and work on [those]."

Competition organising committee chairman Zac Thomas said while the committee had competition guidelines, it also had "a lot of creative freedom as to how we tested those things that needed to be tested".

The committee chose activities that would test the practical skills of competitors but also their people management skills.

"Things such as interviewing a potential employee," he said.

Competitors had a farmlet area which they had to finish fencing and install items including a water trough.

In another agrisport event, competitors needed to complete several tasks as quickly as possible.

Providing a good spectacle was also important, Mr Thomas said.

"Our focus was to create something people will enjoy watching but also the competitors will be tested."

Seventy teams also took part in the Otago Southland AgriKidsNZ and FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year titles at the site.

Twins Zoe McElrea (16, Columba College) and Millar McElrea (16, John McGlashan College) won the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year Otago Southland title and will compete at the grand final in July.

The Agriboys, Jud Duffy, Will Bensemann, and Theo Dynes (all 12), of St Peter’s College in Gore, won the AgriKidsNZ contest.

 - Sandy Eggleston