One woman is Renae Flett, formerly from Whanganui. Renae is a sole contract milker working on a 180-cow 70ha dairy farm just out of Rongotea in the Manawatu.
The 32 year old is passionate about animal health, pasture management and is keen to help teach future farmers.
"When it was first announced that this year the Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year was changing to the Fieldays Rural Catch of the Year to include women, I was Facebook-tagged and sent the link via numerous messages," says Renae.
She took a bit of convincing but eventually entered, never imagining she would be picked as a finalist.
"I saw the competition as a good chance to challenge myself and push myself out of my comfort zone, as I have solely concentrated on running the farm for the past two years, and to show New Zealand that we female farmers are just as good as the men.
"I hope to challenge myself, test my farm skills through the challenges and, of course, meet new people. With spending the last two years not leaving the farm much you don't get a chance to meet people, so this will give me that chance, as well as to learn new skills and also test my ability with the challenges. I'm a shy person but I like to challenge myself whenever possible, so this competition gives me that opportunity."
Renae's mum, Robyn, lives in Whanganui.
"Mum is extremely supportive of anything I decide to do, for which I'm very lucky. She's so supportive of my farming career and didn't seem at all surprised when I told her I had entered. She's always asking about the competition and if I've been practising for the challenges. I think secretly she's hoping I'll meet a nice guy through this competition as well!
"Thanks heaps to the sponsors — without them this competition wouldn't be possible."
Other contestants are from Ohaupo, Geraldine, New Plymouth, Urenui, Taihape, Taupo and Hawera.
The all-expenses paid competition starts for the Rural Catch finalists on Sunday 10 June with the Farmlands Roadtrip which gives the contestants the chance to get to know each other and try their hand at various challenges before the serious stuff begins on the first day of Fieldays, Wednesday 13 June.
This year the competition will feature the traditional challenges such as fencing, quad bike skills and dog handling, and challenges involving tractors and cooking — but with a twist.
The popular 'fittest farmer' challenge, introduced last year, testing finalist's strength and fitness will feature again this year. The finalist's financial skills will also be tested in a 'nail your numbers' challenge thanks to Fieldays partner Xero.
The Fieldays Rural Catch winner walks away with the coveted Golden Gumboot trophy as well as a $20,000 prize pool thanks to sponsors Farmlands, Swandri, Suzuki, Skellerup and STIHL.
Fieldays Rural Catch is partnered by Farmlands Co-operative.
Readers can vote for Renae via the People's Choice option on the Fieldays Facebook page.
