Pete Fitz-Herbert's final tilt at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year title gets underway in Timaru on Thursday.
The Hunterville sheep and beef farmer has plenty of regional final experience under his belt and is in his second grand final following last year's fifth placing.
And it will be his last for the 30-year-old who has competed for about eight years.
His intensive preparations included physical work as well and plenty of reading as battles for the top prize against six other regional winners.
"Preparations have gone as well as they can," he said.