7 May 2010 Five Lincoln University Scholarships for Excellence awarded

New Zealand's specialist land-based university, Lincoln University, is delighted to announce the award of five Scholarships for Excellence following the conclusion of the Regional Finals of the 2010 National Bank Young Farmer Contest.

The University has awarded study scholarships for those competing at the District Final level of the contest since 2002. Many past scholarship holders who have used the award to complete Lincoln University qualifications are now contributing significantly to New Zealand agriculture.

This year's scholarship recipients are - Reuben Carter of the Hokianga; Lisa Chapman of Christchurch; Alan Harvey of Weston, North Otago; Will Lindsay of Dipton, Southland; and Hamish Wright of Cave, South Canterbury. All are currently attending Lincoln University.

The scholarships, which pay fees for one year of study, are always regarded by recipients as a big help for the continuation of their university careers.

Reuben Carter is studying for a Bachelor of Agriculture degree. He grew up on a 1500-acre family farm in the Hokianga running sheep and cattle. He has represented New Zealand in wood chopping at the Royal Melbourne Show and is chairman of Whangarei Young Farmers and northern regional chairman. He has completed an apprenticeship in fitting and turning and has been involved with Whangarei Museum running and maintaining its steam and diesel locomotives on public Live Days. He is a past pupil of Whangarei Boys' High School.

Lisa Chapman is a Bachelor of Agricultural Science student at Lincoln University and a past pupil of Rangi Ruru Girls' School, Christchurch. She has been a general farm worker in Central Canterbury and Southland; she did a GAP Exchange to the UK and has completed an Outward Bound course. She is a Scout troop leader and has been manager and trekking guide for an adventure company at Te Anau. Recently Lisa helped set up a Christchurch City branch of Young Farmers.

Alan Harvey is a past pupil of Waitaki Boy's High School where he was a prefect and member of the school's First Hockey XI. He comes from a dryland sheep farm near Weston, Oamaru and is enrolled for a Bachelor of Agriculture degree at Lincoln University. He is a member of Five Forks Young Farmers. He helped establish Waitaki Boys' High School Young Farmers and was its deputy chairman.

Will Lindsay comes off a 12,000su sheep, beef and deer property near Dipton in Central Southland. He is a past pupil of Central Southland College and has done fulltime farm work on a large sheep and beef property in Western Southland. At school he entered Southland A & P Association Herds erson competitions and won novice, junior and senior beef titles. He is now studying for a Diploma in Farm Management at Lincoln University.

Hamish Wright grew up on his parents' farm in South Canterbury and was a boarder at Waitaki Boys' High School, where he was a prefect. He started a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) degree at Lincoln University in 2008. A keen rugby player, he was in his school's First XV, and went on tour with the team to Australia. He was a member of the North Otago Under-18s for two years while at school and in 2009 was captain of Lincoln University's Division 2 team, played a couple of games for the Division 1 team. In 2008 he was in the University's Under-21 team. He has done an Outward Bound course, a Spirit of New Zealand course and is close to completing his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.