Three Lincoln University graduates are among seven finalists from throughout New Zealand competing this week for the prestigious National Bank Young Farmer title.
The Grand Final of the 2007 National Bank Young Farmer contest began in Rotorua on Wednesday (4 July) and reaches its climax on Saturday night (7 July) with the concluding rounds in the Rotorua Energy Event Centre.
Lincoln University graduates have won 19 of the 38 contests since the event was established in 1969.
Carrying Lincoln University’s hopes for lifting that figure to 20 are -
Richard Fowler, who graduated from Lincoln University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Agriculture degree. Richard recently swapped jobs from being a Landcorp operations manager to sharemilking and he is the finalist from the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Young Farmers Club Region. Last year he finished fourth in the Grand Final.
Grant McNaughton, who graduated Bachelor of Commerce (Agricultural) from Lincoln University in 2005. Grant is from Dunsandel and is a Ravensdown field officer for Central Canterbury. He is the finalist from the Tasman Young Farmers Region.
Dave Twaddle, graduated Bachelor of Agriculture from Lincoln University in 2005. He grew up in Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, but now lives in Northland where he is a field officer for Ravensdown. Dave is the finalist from the Northland Young Farmers Region.
Individually they will each be trying to match the achievement of fellow Lincoln University graduate John McCaw, capped Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons) in 2000, who won last year’s Grand Final and has been the reigning National Bank Young Farmer. John, from Methven, represented the Aorangi Region.
The other finalists this year are Earl McSweeney (Aorangi Region), David Skiffington (Taranaki/Manawatu), Callum Thomsen (East Coast) and Kyle Thorburn (Otago/Southland).
The competition started in January and progresses through District and Regional finals to the Grand Final. Lincoln University provides “grass roots” support for the competition by putting up seven study scholarships for awarding to District Final entrants. These scholarships are worth nearly $4000 and cover fees for a year of study at the diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate level.
The total prize pool from the various sponsors for the whole event is $340,000 from which the Grand Final winner scoops nearly $80,000 worth of prizes. Lincoln University provides a Tertiary Study Scholarship valued at $5000 as part of the prize-package for the runner-up.
The final rounds of the competition and the handing over of the mantle of winner will be screened on TV-1 from 9.35 on Saturday night.