Young Farmers: All on in Taupo

All on in Taupo

The 2014 AgriKidsNZ and TeenAg Regional Finals are making their way around the country.

Waikato/Bay of Plenty held their Regional Final in Taupo at the Tongariro Domain, Saturday 22 March.

“It was another great day out with a number of keen contestants who proved they had the skills and knowledge to make it through to the Grand Final,” commented Josie Hampton, AgriKidsNZ & TeenAg Project Leader.

Team Ragwort Wrestlers, Gabriella Farrell, Edmund White and Luke Farrell from St Mary’s (Putaruru) taking home the top honour in the AgriKidsNZ competition and Two Lone Wolves, Graham Johnson and Cory Jones from Hamilton Boys’ High School were the top team in the TeenAg event.

Second place for the AgriKidsNZ Competition went to TIS Agri Stars, Alyssa Harrison, Sakshi Patil and Bayley Weal from Taupo Intermediate School and the Methane Tigers, Cayde Thompson, Jamie Prier & Maggie Lulu Draper-Kidd from Taupo Intermediate placed third.

AgriKidsNZ is open to children 8-13 years of age and they compete in teams of three while the TeenAg competition calls for high school students 13-18 years old, competing in pairs.

The competitions test skills, strength and stamina while introducing youth to the fun side of agriculture. Primary and high school students from all walks of life are welcome to join in.

There was also some fierce competition amongst the TeenAg competitors.

Gunner Beez, Codi Merito & Sam Foster from Hamilton Boys’ High School took home second place and in third was Tokoroa Girls, Caitlin Bridson and Rachel Durie from Forest View High.

The competitions are structured into eight modules which can test anything and everything farm related. The top scoring seven teams continue through to the Race-Off challenge where contestants must work as a team and complete a series of tasks as fast as possible.

Top three teams from each Regional Final are invited to attend the 2014 Grand Final held in Christchurch, 3-5 July where they will battle it out for the national champion’s title.

Several Regional Final events are nearing capacity which presents an exciting challenge for event organisers.

“There was a large numbers of schools enter that had never competed before which was brilliant to see,” said Miss Hampton.

For more information head to www.youngfarmercontest.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media