8 July 2010 Lincoln University sure of alumni success

Graduates of New Zealand’s specialist land-based university, Lincoln University, numerically dominate the Grand Final of the 2010 National Bank Young Farmer Contest, in Gore, with six of the seven finalists holding Lincoln qualifications.

“It’s clear that one way or another Lincoln alumni are going to be finishing among the top places again this year,” says Lincoln University Alumni Manager  Sarah Currie.

In the 2009 Grand Final Lincoln University graduates took out the first three places and over the 41 contests since the Young Farmer event was established in 1969  former students of Lincoln University have won the top title 20 times.

“With three of the six Lincoln University graduates taking part this year having previously competed at Grand Final level, the experience level is high,” says Sarah, “so it will be very competitive among the grads themselves.”

The six Grand Finalists with qualifications from Lincoln University are  - 

James Donaldson
James farms a 300-hectare leasehold drystock property at Titoki, near Whangarei, and is representing the Northern Region. Experience is on his side as he was the Northern Region’s Grand Finalist in 2008.

James has been a Young Farmers’ Club member for five years and has served as Vice-Chair of the Whangarei club. He is a member of the management board of the South Devon Cattle Society, a member of the “beef profit partnership” research group and a past sheep and beef councillor.

 A former pupil of Bream Bay College, James studied agricultural science at Lincoln University and was capped BAgrSc in 2004. His ultimate aim is farm ownership.

There has never been a Northern Region winner of the Grand Final in the contest’s history. .

Peter Gardyne
Peter is representing the Otago/Southland Region. He farms on a 1600-acre sheep, beef and arable property at Chatton, near Gore, and is a member of the Waitane Young Farmers’ Club. He has been associated with the Young Farmers’ Club movement for over seven years.

Peter he holds a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and two diplomas from Lincoln University, a Diploma in Agriculture and Diploma in Farm Management, both awarded “With Distinction” in 2008.

Peter’s farming philosophy is to keep systems simple and understandable; try something new; develop as much as possible every season; and don’t make anyone do anything you wouldn’t do yourself.

Grant McNaughton
Grant was a Grand Finalist in 2007 and is once again representing the Tasman Region. A member of the Dunsandel Young Farmers’ Club, Grant is a  sheep and beef farmer (in partnership with his parents), a private farm consultant and dairy farmer  -  a “mixture of these”, he says.

A past pupil of Waitaki Boys’ High School, where he was a prefect, Grant attended Lincoln University and was capped Bachelor of Commerce (Agricultural) in 2005. From Lincoln he went to work as an account manager with Ravensdown, then embarked on his present mixture of activities.

Grant’s long term ambition is farm ownership and off-farm  investments, both performing at a top level to allow for a “superior work-life balance and family lifestyle in the future”.    

Andrew Scott
Andrew is a member of the Mackenzie Young Farmers’ Club and is the Grand Finalist for the Aorangi Region.

He holds a Diploma in Farm Management from Lincoln University, awarded in 2003, and is a past pupil of Timaru Boys’ High School.

In South Canterbury, near Cave,  Andrew  farms on a 900-hectare sheep and beef property with some dairy grazing and arable barley in rotation.

His long term ambition is farm ownership. He regards stock as the main priority in his farm management practice and pursues 150 percent lambing.

Community and social interests include Young Farmers’ Club,  the Rural Fire Service, South Canterbury Motorcycle Club and the New Zealand Jet Boat Association.

Chris Will
Chris is representing the Taranaki/Manawatu Region. He is Vice-Chair of the Marton Young Farmers’ Club  and a past pupil of  Palmerston North Boys’ High School. He holds a Bachelor of Agriculture degree from Lincoln University and was capped in 2004.

He was placed third in the 2009 Grand Final.

Chris is a 50/50 sharemilker in Rongotea, Manawatu, with partner Anna, and an AI technician for LIC. The sharemilking involves a herd of 180 Friesian cows on a 60-hectare family-owned farm,

With the long term aim of farm ownership, Chris approaches farm management with the philosophy of keeping strategies simple while planning well to optimise opportunities. “Work hard but also work smart,” is his attitude.

Sam Williams
Sam, from Otorohanga,  is a farm consultant with Interlact Ltd, self-employed with his own client base. He also works on a 134-hectare property owned with his parents and on his parents’ 232ha block, a mixture of dairy, dry stock, and maize cropping.

A past pupil of Otorohanga College, Sam went on to Lincoln University where he was capped  Bachelor of Agricultural Science with First Class Honours in 2007.

He is representing Waikato/Bay of Plenty and is a member of North King Country Young Farmers’ Club and currently club secretary.

Sam’s ambitions are to maintain a full client base in his consultancy business  then ultimately take over his parents’ property.  His farm management philosophy is to ensure that all practices are sustainable  -  financially, environmentally and physically  -   and to make careful use of extra expenditure to ensure that it is making a return.

The sole Grand Finalist this year without a Lincoln University background is East Coast regional representative Angus Brown of Woodville. Angus farms sheep, beef and dairy cattle at Kumeroa in partnership with his twin brother. He is a member of the Balance Young Farmers’ Club.  

The Young Farmer Grand Final opened with a street parade in this year’s host town, Gore, yesterday (Wednesday 7 July). Today (Thursday 8 July) is the Technical Day, held in the Moth Restaurant and Croydon Aviation Heritage Museum, and tonight the contestants present their speeches at the Heartland Hotel Croydon.

Tomorrow (Friday 9 July) is the Practical Day, at the Gore A & P Showgrounds, with the Grand Final Dinner in the evening.

Saturday sees the national AGM of the Young Farmers’ Clubs organisation and then the day builds towards the Grand Final Show in Gore’s MLT Event Centre and the Grand Final Ball at the Town and Country Club. The Grand Final Show will be telecast live between 7.30 – 8.30pm on TVNZ6 … note, TVNZ6. At the Grand Final Show the winner will receive the traditional Cloak of Knowledge, the champion’s trophy and prizes to the value of $102,000.