Wanaka A&P Show’s Agricultural Scholarship winners announced

Wanaka A&P Show’s Agricultural Scholarship winners announced

Two Wanaka students start the 2015 academic year with a helping hand, after winning the Upper Clutha A&P Society’s generous Agricultural Scholarship.

Lachlan Woods, 18, and Alannah Stalker, 17, are the successful recipients of the $3000 scholarship, which is designed to assist with any education or training connected to any facet of the Wanaka A&P Show. They each receive $1000 a year for up to three years of tertiary study.

The Society, which owns the up-coming Wanaka A&P Show (March 13-14, 2015), hopes that by offering money towards study, recipients eventually return to the Upper Clutha region and use the skills that they have learnt to benefit the industry and community in the area.

Lachlan left Wanaka this week to study a Bachelor of Commerce with Agriculture at Lincoln University. A long-time supporter of the Wanaka Show, Lachlan says he’s pleased to be a recipient of the scholarship.

“I want my future career to be in the New Zealand primary industries. My interests are farm management and rural finance. Winning this scholarship means I won’t have to work part-time during uni, so I can maximize what I’ll get out of the course,” he says.

Alannah has long-standing ties with the Wanaka Show, with her mother Jane being current Show coordinator. She has competed in equestrian events since the age of four and continues to help out with Show duties – with a long-term goal of wanting to become the Society’s president one day. She leaves for Christchurch as soon as this year’s Show is over, to study a Diploma in Enrolled Nursing at CPIT before eventually studying a Bachelor of Paramedic Science at Massey University in Wellington.

“Winning this scholarship means that someone is giving me more of an opportunity for what I want to do with my career. It’s given me the extra drive to do well,” Alannah says.

The successful applicants were decided by the Upper Clutha A&P Society President and Treasurer, and each applicant was interviewed.

The Agricultural Scholarship is just one of several initiatives by the Society to give back to the local community each year. Last year the Society gave about $85,000 to the community.

Jane Stalker says it’s looking like the 2015 Show, on March 13-14, will be another huge event, with more trade stalls than ever before and plenty of competitive action and family entertainment.

ENDS

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