17 June 2010 Young inventor resolved farming dilemma with winning piece of engineering

Drenching could be a whole lot more efficient for farmers and a lot more comfortable for their sheep thanks to a bright idea and the engineering skill of Lincoln University student Rupert Barton who has been named Young Inventor of the Year at the National Agricultural Fieldays, Mystery Creek.

Rupert was an entrant in the Inventions Category of the Fieldays’ Innovation Competition and took the Young Inventor title and a $1000 prize for an Adjustable Drenching Race.

“The race is adjustable in width to suit the size of the sheep you’re dealing with,” says Rupert.

“When you’re drenching, the variable size of lambs and ewes in a race is a normal farming dilemma. The idea for an adjustable width race grew out of my own experience drenching on my parents’ farm.”

The son of Roger and Barbie Barton, who have a sheep and beef property at Woodside in the South Wairarapa, Rupert attended Palmerston North Boys’ High School before going on to the Waipaoa Farm Training Programme, Gisborne. He entered Lincoln University in 2009, completed a Diploma in Agriculture and this year is doing the University’s Diploma in Farm Management.

As part of that programme he has taken the engineering elective course under lecturer Ian Domigan, himself a past inventions winner at Mystery Creek. It is the second year in a row that students from Ian’s class have won in the Fieldays’ Innovation Competition.

Lincoln University Academic Coordinator Russell Cameron describes Rupert as a “top student” in the diploma class who came to Lincoln as the Top Scholar from the Waipaoa Programme.

“We’re delighted for him,” he says.

Lincoln University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Dr Chris Kirk, says that for Lincoln University students to win two years in a row in this competition at Mystery Creek reflects well on the emphasis the University places on innovation and entrepreneurship.

“We congratulate Rupert, the fellow members of his engineering class who provided input to the invention, and lecturer Ian Domigan who is such an inspiring and encouraging influence on the students.”

The $1000 win has come in the week of Rupert’s birthday, but he says the five members of the class had an agreement to split the winnings if he won so the celebrating will be shared.