Farmers relish contest final

Nick Brown of Toko

A Toko sheep and beef farmer has secured a spot in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year regional final in Hawera.

Nick Brown, 29, finished second behind James Lawn, 27, at a district contest in Okato.

Contestants did everything from erecting a fence, to naming different feed and seeds, and using a tractor to spread fertiliser.

"The feed module was tough and a lot to get through in a short amount of time," said Central Taranaki Young Farmers chairman Nick Brown.

It'll be his second attempt at winning a regional final.

"Last year was the first time I competed. It's good to be heading back there. I'm quite excited," he said.

"I'll be using the next few months to work on areas where I felt I was weak last year."

Mr Brown is one of eight contestants vying to represent the Taranaki/Manawatu region at the national final in Fielding in July.

James Lawn, who's spent the past two-and-a-half years travelling, is now helping run family dairy farms at Okato.

He's also stoked to be heading to another regional final.

"It's a good feeling to know that after so long travelling I still have some of the skills I learnt over the years," Mr Lawn said.

"But it's going to take a lot of preparation to get ready."

"You can study for modules like the quiz and technical exam, but you can't prepare for other things judges may throw at you," he said.

James Lawn and Nick Brown will be up against Isabel Tait, Michael McCombs, Blair Briscoe, Will Taylor, Nigel Will and Kieran McCahon.

The regional final will take place at the TSB Hub in Hawera on Saturday, April 22, 2017.