The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Qualifying rounds begin for FMG Young Farmer of the Year

The Country
22 Sep, 2019 10:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Lincoln Young Farmers member Tom Adkins. Photo / Supplied
Lincoln Young Farmers member Tom Adkins. Photo / Supplied

Lincoln Young Farmers member Tom Adkins. Photo / Supplied

The first qualifying rounds for the next FMG Young Farmer of the Year kick off next week.

Eighteen district contests will be held across the country before Christmas.

The events will help find 56 competitors who will clash in seven FMG Young Farmer of the Year regional finals early next year.

"I've entered to test my skills and knowledge and to meet other young farmers," said Lincoln Young Farmers member Tom Adkins.

"This is my first time competing and I'd really like to make it through to the later stages of the contest in years to come."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Lincoln Young Farmers member Tom Adkins shearing sheep at Telford. Photo / Supplied
Lincoln Young Farmers member Tom Adkins shearing sheep at Telford. Photo / Supplied

The 20-year-old, who was raised on a sheep and beef farm near Whanganui, is studying a Diploma in Farm Management at Lincoln University.

He's landed a job working as a shepherd at Te Mania Angus in North Canterbury this summer.

"I got the job after going up there on a club field trip. I'm really passionate about beef and sheep breeding and genetics," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Adkins has signed up for the district contest at Springston, southwest of Christchurch, on October 19th.

He'll face off against Wairarapa-born Sarah Whiteman, 23, who's an assistant cereal breeder at PGG Wrightson Seeds.

Sarah Whiteman is an assistant cereal breeder at PGG Wrightson Seeds. Photo / Supplied
Sarah Whiteman is an assistant cereal breeder at PGG Wrightson Seeds. Photo / Supplied

She helps develop new varieties of wheat and barley. It's her second time entering the contest.

"Last year I entered in the 'have a go' category, which enables people to complete the modules in pairs," said Whiteman.

Discover more

Hawke's Bay shepherd seizes agri-food sector opportunities

02 Sep 09:42 PM

Robots, trees and pushbikes: Farming's 'bright' future

08 Sep 10:45 PM

Boutique milk business brings glass bottles back

11 Sep 11:30 PM

Young Farmer off to Brazil on PM's scholarship

19 Sep 12:30 AM

"It was heaps of fun and a great confidence booster. I don't have a farming background and it helped me realise I actually know what I'm doing."

Whiteman will compete in her own right next month, meaning she'll be eligible to qualify for a spot in the Tasman regional final in March.

"I've entered to challenge myself, learn new things and meet people from other NZ Young Farmers clubs," she said.

The first district contest kicks off in Palmerston North on October 5th.

Sarah Whiteman helps develop new varieties of wheat and barley. Photo / Supplied
Sarah Whiteman helps develop new varieties of wheat and barley. Photo / Supplied

The events are designed to test the practical and theoretical skills of competitors.

"Everyone has their own reason for entering the district contests," said Danielle Holland from NZ Young Farmers.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It's a chance for members to benchmark themselves, have fun, and importantly to qualify for the next stage of the contest."

The FMG Young Farmer of the Year is an iconic contest which began in 1969 and showcases the country's food and fibre sector.

The event is supported by FMG, Ravensdown, Honda, WorkSafe, STIHL, Lincoln University, Massey University, Southfuels/Northfuels, Betacraft and New Holland.

The dates of each district contest are listed below. More details can be found at fmgyoungfarmercontest.co.nz

Northern

9th November – Kaikohe
30th November – Waimauku

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Waikato/Bay of Plenty

16th November – Reporoa
23th November – Huntly
23th November – Morrinsville
30th November - Piopio

East Coast

9th November – Pongoroa
30th November – Gisborne

Taranaki/Manawatu

5th October – Palmerston North
9th November – Feilding
16th November – Eltham
30th November – Stratford

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Aorangi

12th October – Waipopo Farm
19th October – Mt Somers

Tasman

19th October – Springston
26th October – Rangiora

Otago/Southland

19th October – Middlemarch
16th November – Mossburn

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
GET THE BEST RURAL NEWS. SIGN UP FOR THE COUNTRY NEWSLETTER
Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

'Some of the worst we’ve seen': Huge pile of concrete dumped illegally

12 Jul 12:00 AM
The Country

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

11 Jul 06:00 PM
The Country

'Massive milestone': Rare native geckos, parrots return amid pest-control success

11 Jul 06:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
All Blacks put France to sword as Dave Gallaher Trophy returns to New Zealand
All Blacks

All Blacks put France to sword as Dave Gallaher Trophy returns to New Zealand

12 Jul 09:07 AM
All Blacks reclaim Dave Gallaher Trophy with dominant win over France
All Blacks

All Blacks reclaim Dave Gallaher Trophy with dominant win over France

12 Jul 08:53 AM
Lotto: Powerball not struck, one First Division player $1 million richer
New Zealand

Lotto: Powerball not struck, one First Division player $1 million richer

12 Jul 08:04 AM
Wall of water floods Kaiteriteri holday park
New Zealand

Wall of water floods Kaiteriteri holday park

12 Jul 07:55 AM
Landslides, flooding, fallen trees: Nelson-Tasman residents urged to stay home
New Zealand

Landslides, flooding, fallen trees: Nelson-Tasman residents urged to stay home

12 Jul 06:34 AM

Latest from The Country

'Some of the worst we’ve seen': Huge pile of concrete dumped illegally

'Some of the worst we’ve seen': Huge pile of concrete dumped illegally

12 Jul 12:00 AM

Cleaning up the concrete and other waste is expected to cost between $25,000 and $30,000.

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

'Merry hell' in Mamaku: Village held 'to ransom' by hoons

11 Jul 06:00 PM
'Massive milestone': Rare native geckos, parrots return amid pest-control success

'Massive milestone': Rare native geckos, parrots return amid pest-control success

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Opportunities in America for NZ red meat

Opportunities in America for NZ red meat

11 Jul 05:01 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search