Website of the YearRuahine School's Crazy Chickens beat 15 other teams to win the East Coast AgriKids Competition at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds on Saturday, February 13, run in conjunction with the East Coast Young Farmer Competition.
The team comprised Riley Finucane, 12, Georgie Hogan, 11, and Gemma Barrow, 11, and were very surprised with their win as they came only fifth in the final runoff but they had such good scores in the preceding modules they finished on top.
"I don't think our parents could believe it either," Riley said.
All three had competed in the contest before but had not been together as a team.
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Advertise with NZME.Previous attempts although they had not made it past the module phase, served as good experience.
In the modules, they had to complete several practical tasks like putting the chain back on a farm bike and deciding what items should go into a health and safety kit bag for use on farm.
One activity involved having a member put a hand into a box and then the rest of the team asking questions to determine what being felt. It was a model bird.
There was a quiz about New Zealand which, Riley said, was the favourite part of the modules.
After the modules the seven top teams headed into a race-off where they undertook a sequence of tasks against the clock. They started using foam mats to cross a lava field before diving under a maimai net while carrying an egg on a spoon.
They then had to blindfold a member and guide her through an obstacle course, throw horseshoes into a hula hoop and complete the challenge with a sack race.
"The hardest part was the sack race," Georgie said because "we kept falling out of the sack."
The team was delighted to win. They thoroughly enjoyed the day, set in very warm conditions and were very grateful their parents transporting and supporting them in their endeavours.
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Advertise with NZME.Each received a medal and a plaque together with a gift bag containing a water bottle, socks, a hat, a cooler bag and a voucher.
Ruahine School principal Sarah McCord said the children at her school are so resilient and supportive of each other with very strong parent support.
She said it is good "the team has kept up the tradition of doing well in the Agri-kids competition going back a decade."
The top three teams have all been invited to the Grand Final in Christchurch in July where they will compete against 21 other teams from across the country.
The Grand Final runs alongside the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest.
The Crazy Chickens are keen to make the trip.