Dana and Matt Cook share their competition entry. Photo / Supplied
Dana and Matt Cook share their competition entry. Photo / Supplied
Farmers with creatively placed hay bales, stock and chainsaws have bared it all in a naked quest for a great cause.
The Naked Shepherd Challenge was put to farmers by New Zealand rural mental health charity Will To Live in collaboration with Australian rural mental health charity The Naked Farmer.
Poppy Renton shared the challenge to her Facebook group Hawke's Bay Drought where local farmers have been participating. Photo / Supplied
The risque initiative aims at shining a light on rural mental health awareness throughout the country.
"It takes guts to get your clothes off, just like it takes guts to talk about mental health," a spokesperson for Will To Live said.
And in Hawke's Bay, the initiative has garnered a groundswell of rural support, with many in the farming sector getting their kit off and posting the results online.
Maraekakaho resident Poppy Renton kicked off the challenge on her Hawke's Bay Drought Facebook group, with her own entry.
"If you can take your clothes off you can talk about mental health," Renton said.
"It's not hard to take your clothes off and it's not hard to have a yarn," Henry Lindsay said in his challenge photo. Photo / Supplied
Mental health in the farming community was very much a topical issue, Renton said.
"It's for a very good cause being mental health, which is close to most farmers' hearts."
No ducks were harmed in Guy Beamish's duck shooting themed entry. Photo / Supplied
She said the challenge and the Facebook group had put a smile on people's dials and reminded many that they weren't facing the drought or mental health issues on their own.
Henry Lindsay said he got involved because mental health is a great challenge at the time of the drought.
He wanted to try and "get the idea across that talking to one another on a deeper scale is okay".
"I think the challenge is a good bit of fun and the perfect way to cheer people up and maybe take their minds off this drought even for just a bit".
Farmers Sally and Grant Charteris posed for their photo in a feed trough.
"Sally and I thought it would be a great way to put a smile on people's faces and brighten up their days and give them something to giggle at.
"When people do things in numbers it speaks volume and gives others the confidence to do the same," Grant said.
Farmers can enter the competition by submitting a photo to Will To Live alongside a caption about what their will to live is, what they do to keep healthy or what they love most about farming.
Winners of the nationwide competition will be announced on September 1.
