A strong list of agriculturally focused candidates lined up to interview for this year’s Whangarei A&P Society $9,000 scholarship, making judging very challenging.

After much deliberation, the scholarship has been awarded to Michael Robinson.

Michael completed primary and intermediate school in Whangarei and in 2019 moved to Hamilton to attend St Paul’s Collegiate Secondary School. He will be studying a Bachelor of Ag Commerce at Lincoln University in 2024. Michael’s long-term goal is to work in the agricultural sector in Northland, following in his mother’s (Kim Robinson) footsteps.

Not from a farming background, Michael says it’s mum that has inspired him to want to work in Agriculture: ‘Mum has worked in the ag sector in Northland for 30 years, some of my earliest memories are of going on farm with her to show us all the animals and farm machinery. The future of the agricultural industry is very exciting and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.’

‘Down to earth’, ‘motivated’ and ‘passionate’ were the words the judges used to describe Michael, who is a prefect, talented sportsman in both rugby and cricket, and shows huge passion for agriculture. Society President, Mr Evan Smeath, said Michael has remained humble and in touch with his roots, despite living away from home in his secondary school years.

‘Michael is clearly a leader at school as a prefect and as a sports captain from a young age. He has completed the Young Leaders Conference in Waikato and provides peer support for younger students at school. He has also mentored primary children from other schools, which I was particularly impressed by.

Michael also already demonstrated his passion for the agricultural industry – he worked on a beef and sheep farm in Gisborne last summer and told the judges his favourite school subjects are agriculture and horticulture science and agri-business. We wish him well for the move down to Lincoln.’

Whangarei A&P Society provides the agricultural scholarship as a demonstration of its commitment to bringing communities together to share rural excellence and knowledge.

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