Sixth-generation sheep and beef farmer Bryce Win has won the 2026 Tasman regional final of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
Sixth-generation sheep and beef farmer Bryce Win has won the 2026 Tasman regional final of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
A sixth-generation sheep and beef farmer is now in the running for FMG Young Farmer of the Year after winning the Tasman regional final.
Bryce Win, 29, from Upper Moutere, was announced as the winner of the final on Saturday evening, after spending the day competing in a series ofchallenges at the Courtenay A&P Showgrounds in Kirwee.
The victory left Win at a loss for words.
“It’s just so surreal, I don’t know what to say.”
He said his success left him free to tackle his next big event.
Win secured the most points on the day with 272, ahead of Jack Dennehy-Coles (250.5) from Lincoln University and Sam Smithers (238.9) from the West Coast.
The competition featured five challenges, including Agri-Sports and an intense buzzer-style quiz that rewarded quick thinking.
Each task was crafted to expose how well contestants could apply their practical skills and technical knowledge while working against the clock.
Win seemed calm under the pressure of the day, moving from task to task.
He aced the head-to-head, where contestants had to make a bull, while having a lot of fun in the Agri-Sports, which involved a series of small challenges, finishing with lassoing said bull.
Bryce Win tackles the practical challenges in the Tasman regional final of the 2026 FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest.
Three age-based categories were featured in the competition, with spectators from across the region coming to support all the contestants.
Primary school pupils tackled AgriKids NZ, high school students competed for the Junior Young Farmer of the Year title, and eight finalists battled for the coveted Young Farmer of the Year crown.
The AgriKids NZ competition saw New Zealand’s youngest farmers share their new-generation know-how across a series of modules, with the top teams then competing in a race-off.
The 2026 FMG Young Farmer of the Year Tasman regional finalists are Jack Dennehy-Coles (second), Bryce Win (first), and Sam Smithers (third).
The Waikari Wanderers (Waikari School, Rosie Barton, Max Beach and Fergus Butters) took out the top spot for the AgriKids NZ, followed by the Broomfield Stockmen (Broomfield School, Arlo Knight, Jack Hope-Pearson and Nixon Keane) and Marlborough Musterers (Seddon School, Tom March, Louis Gorman and Tom Barker), rounding out the top three.
Meanwhile, Charlie Clark and Leo Acland from Mount Hutt and Christ’s College took out the Junior Young Farmer of the Year title for Tasman, securing themselves a spot at the grand final back-to-back.
Bryce Win celebrates being named the 2026 Young Farmer of the Year Tasman regional final winner.
Tabitha White and Mikayla Molloy from Rangi Ruru will join them.
Harriet Craw and Danica Minson (Christchurch Girls’ High School and St Andrews College) came in third.
Along with Win, the top three AgriKids NZ and top two junior teams will now compete in July’s grand final in New Plymouth.
The Young Farmer of the Year is a highlight in the rural calendar, boasting a strong track record of showcasing the rising stars in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.
New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive Cheyne Gillooly said it was great to see friends, family, and Young Farmers club members supporting their fellow contestants.
She said Season 58 had the highest attendance of entrants in recent years.
“FMG Young Farmer of the Year is a true celebration of agriculture and the people who drive it,” Gillooly said.
“From the youngest contestant just beginning, to the oldest who is giving it their last shot, the strength in which people show up for their community makes me so proud of what Young Farmers represents.”
