NZ's ultimate rural bachelor found

Fieldays Rural Bachelor Best of the Best winner Mat Sherriff. Photo / Stephen Barker, Barker Photography

New Zealand's ultimate rural bachelor lives with his partner and son.

Mat Sherriff, 32, was presented with the golden gumboot yesterday after four days of competition at the Fieldays farming expo at Mystery Creek near Hamilton.

Sherriff is among six of the eight finalists who are now off the market. He and partner Kim Tatham live on his farm near Te Awamutu, with son Max.

This year's competition featured the winners of the past eight years competing to find the ultimate bachelor.

It was a big difference from Sherriff's single days, when he won the event's People's Choice Award in 2003.

Competition spokesperson Jacqui Cooper said there was "some magic" with the winners of the golden gumboot: "They do draw the girls."