Otama siblings battle it out in Young Farmer competition

Friday, 2 February 2024

Siblings Laura, Richard and Megan Whyte will be competing at the Young Farmer of the Year contest.

A bit of sibling rivalry will feature at next weekend's Otago Southland FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest, as three contestants from Waitane Young Farmers share the same surname.

The two-day competition will kick off on Friday morning at Wingatui Racecourse in Mosgiel, marking the beginning of a nationwide contest to find New Zealand’s top young farmers.

Seven regional finals will take place across Aotearoa between February and April and only the top contestants will qualify for a spot at July’s Grand Final in Hamilton.

There are 172 AgriKidsNZ, FMG Junior and FMG Young Farmer contestants from across the region putting their names forward for a shot at victory.

Siblings Laura, Megan, and Richard Whyte were among them and said they had been busily preparing for the ultimate battle of skills, knowledge, strength and endurance.

“We all do have a competitive side, but we all like to see each other do well,” Megan, 23, said.

“The last time we went head-to-head I saw my sister learn to shear a sheep. I was pretty proud of her that day.“

The siblings all worked on the family’s sheep, beef and grain farm outside of Otama, just 20 minutes away from Gore.

They had been part of the Waitane Young Farmers Club for the last few years.

Younger sister Laura said she would be using the upcoming competition as an opportunity to learn new skills.

“Learning things that you wouldn’t normally learn at home has been awesome, from vet to breeding to bull-picking modules, it’s always really interesting.”

Working on the farm for the last five years, Richard said he hoped to showcase his passion for fencing as he prepared to wow the judges with his knowledge and practice.

“The fencing side of the competition is a great way to improve your skills and put them to the test. I quite enjoy doing stuff like that.”

Usually, a series of one-day district competitions kick-started the annual contest, but this year’s format looked a little different with both the district and regional competitions rolled into a single weekend.

Co-convenor Emma Wilson said the contestants should buckle up as Otago Southland’s competition was shaping up to be a great one.

Southland farmer Leon Black from Blackdale Stud is breeding low-methane-emitting sheep. (Video first published June 2022)

“The committee has been working hard to put on a great event designed to test them on a variety of modules that really showcase what Southland farming is all about. We have a great lineup of competitors, and I’m looking forward to seeing it all come together.”

Contestants would compete in one of three categories depending on their age.

Primary school students, some as young as 8, would enter the AgriKidsNZ contest, while high school students, working in teams of two, were eligible for the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year competition.

Those who had left school competed alone for a shot at rural stardom.

NZ Young Farmers Chief Executive Lynda Coppersmith said it was encouraging to see a high number of contestants this year, with 43% being first-timers.

“Season 56 is shaping up to be one of our best yet with so many new faces including a large number of primary students entering our AgriKidsNZ competition. It just goes to show the future of farming is in good hands.”