East Coast FMG Young Farmer of the Year Mark Wallace. Photo / Supplied
East Coast FMG Young Farmer of the Year Mark Wallace. Photo / Supplied
First-time competitor Mark Wallace took out the title of East Coast FMG Young Farmer of the Year at Russell Park in Waipukurau on Saturday.
The 30-year-old Puketoi Young Farmer member spent five years as a veterinarian and is now a farm worker on a sheep, beef and cropping farm.
Dairy farmer Josh Wilkinson, 24, from Dannevirke Young Farmers was named as runner up, while Tikokino Young Farmer and shepherd Ben Gordon, 27, came in third place.
Upon receiving the award at the evening show, Wallace commended regional final convener Joseph Watts and the rest of the committee.
"You put a really good day on, there was something for everyone out there, there was certainly a lot of things I struggled with," he said.
He also personally thanked a number of people who helped him along the way, particularly with his fencing skills and those who repeatedly prompted him to study.
"A special thanks to all the competitors, everyone was really good at something, I certainly wasn't the best, in the practical side there was some great fencing out there."
Second place Josh Wilkinson (left), winner Mark Wallace, third place Ben Gordon. Photo / Supplied
He could also see the humour in winning the regional final trophy, which has a gate on it, after he faced a difficult head to head challenge – a time and points race.
"I'm appreciating the massive irony in winning this trophy with a gate when I couldn't even get the gate on," he laughed.
Wallace said he will focus on improving his practical skills ahead of the Grand Final.
The contest is based on four pillars – agri-skills, agri-business, agri-sports and agri-knowledge.
The stakes for 2022 were incredibly high, as it was the third contest season affected by the global pandemic, New Zealand Young Farmers Chief Executive Lynda Coppersmith said.
However, entries for the contest were up 30 per cent this year despite the uncertainty of Covid, which was a credit to "all our amazing volunteers, members, sponsors and staff who put this contest together," she said in a statement.
"My gratitude for everyone's efforts extends beyond words and I am really proud to see how everyone has worked together to deliver another season, to pivot and adapt to new challenges including the red light framework."
Coppersmith said the calibre of competitors at each regional final was the highest she had seen.
"It is an extraordinary showcase of the skills and knowledge needed to be involved in the primary industries in this day and age.
"Our competitors represent the full diversity of the primary industries and the array of opportunities available and goes to show that New Zealand Young Farmers' members really are the best and brightest."
East Coast FMG Young Farmer of the Year regional final results
