Some district competitions are about to get underway for The National Bank Young Farmer Contest for 2011.
That’s a mouthful isn’t it. It’s easier when I’m writing stories in Word – I have the autocorrect set just the way I like it. I type TNBYFC and it suddenly springs out with the name in full. Same with the like of PNN for Palmerston North, NZZ for New Zealand, HBB for Hawke’s Bay, BFEAA for the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, HBRCC for the hbb Regional Council…. whoops see that – autocorrect doesn’t work on here! I didn’t do that on purpose by the way 🙂
I had meant to put a post on last week after I attended the Contest launch in Masterton. Here’s the release…
Masterton hosts Launch for the 2011 National Bank Young Farmer Contest
The National Bank Young Farmer Contest has been officially launched for 2011.
Masterton District Council hosted the gathering of Young Farmers members, Contest Sponsors and members of the Wairarapa farming community at the Masterton Town Hall.
The launch was attended by three former winners – Leo Vollebregt (1987) and Callum Thomsen (2007) from the East Coast as well as current Contest Champion Grant McNaughton from the Tasman Region in the South Island. Former South Wairarapa Young Farmers Chairman, two-time Grand Finalist and Nuffield Scholar Paul McGill is heading the organising team for the 2011 Grand Final.
The Copthorne Hotel and Resort’s Solway Park, the Beetham family’s historic Brancepeth Station homestead, Masterton A&P Showgrounds and the new 1200-seat Wairarapa College auditorium will be the main venues during the event from the 29th June – 2nd July.
Mayor Garry Daniell said Masterton was thrilled to be hosting the prestigious event.
“A Grand Final brings more intensity, more pressure, more drama and more reward as the contestants undergo three days of physical and intellectual challenges as they seek to blaze their way into the history books.”
New Zealand Young Farmers President Richard Fowler thanked the Masterton District Council for getting behind the event so enthusiastically. He also outlined the organisation’s new Pipeline Programme “expanding what we do in Young Farmers down into primary school students and carrying on personal development after Young Farmers as well. It is critical for the future of the industry”.
Contest Chairman Tim Cookson said the Contest was just one part of Young Farmers but it embodies everything about the organisation and what it does for its members.
“The Contest encourages excellence in agriculture, provides personal development, leadership growth and development of practical skills, as well as the friendships and fun that all those involved get out of the Contest.
“This applies to the Contestants, organisers and hundreds of volunteers right through from the Districts and Regions through to Grand Final level.”
He outlined three initiatives introduced in 2010 that would be repeated in 2011 – the successful screening of each Regional Final on TVNZ 6, the awarding of four sectional prize winners – the Ravensdown Agri-skills Challenge, Isuzu Agri-sport Challenge, AGMARDT Agri-business Challenge and the Lincoln University Agri-growth Challenge – and the consideration of a contestant’s “community footprint” or the way in which their lifestyle adds value to their community.
The Contest is proudly supported by principal sponsor – The National Bank; gold tier sponsors – Ravensdown, Isuzu, AGMARDT and Lincoln University; and prize sponsors – Swanndri, Honda and Echo for the 2011 season.
The National Bank Managing Director of Rural Banking Charlie Graham said the Contest represents the best of rural New Zealand. “It is enduring, challenging, varied and exciting. We are all really proud to be associated with this event. It will be great to have the Grand Final in Masterton – a District that is also representative of rural New Zealand.”
2010 Contest Champion Grant McNaughton said the Contest offered the opportunity for our future leaders to step up, grow, develop and enhance their skills.
“There is no course you could ever take which will match the personal development achieved through participating in The National Bank Young Farmer Contest. It offers those who enter an opportunity to test their integrity, will, skill, attitude, character and confidence. It offers an opportunity to put yourself and your reputation on the line alongside your peers.”
His advice for those hoping to be competing in the 2011 Grand Final in Masterton? “Don’t just be good, be the best. Prepare and compete beyond your ability – the reward to being The National Bank Young Farmer Contest Champion far exceeds the work and effort required to compete.”
Note from rivettingKateTaylor: Here’s an article in the Farmer’s Weekly that has just been brought to my attention – great feedback for Young Farmers.
rivettingKateTaylor 
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