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Franklin will have to wait another year to have its first confirmed Young Farmer of the Year.
Despite giving the prestigious competition his best shot recently, Aka Aka dairy farmer Justin Ruygrok could not convert his northern regional title into a grand final win.
Unfortunately, there can be no chance to prove that third time’s the charm, either, as he has now ‘aged out’ of the contest.
However, he is looking forward to helping others from his club tackle the competition next time around.
“Definitely, there’s a few from my club who are keen to give it a crack, which is cool to see. It’s always good to give back to the club and the competition, seeing as it has given me so much,” Ruygrok told the Times.
“If I can provide them with a bit of insight or coaching or whatever else, I’ll do that for sure.”
Along with this year’s winner, Tom Slee, Ruygrok and five other finalists undertook a range of challenges.
Hosted by Taranaki, the grand final saw competitors match wits and skills during practical tasks as well as exams, interviews and public speaking.
Although disappointed to have missed out on the win, Ruygrok – a two-time Northern Region winner – was pleased with his performance.
“It feels good to have it all done now. The competition was tough, a hard playing field, but my overall score was a lot higher than last year, so I definitely improved.”
He says Slee was a worthy winner.
“Tom’s a really good guy. He was in third before the quiz and then really showcased his knowledge to come through and win. He was definitely a deserving winner.”
A 29-year-old Otago/Southland dairy farmer, Slee says he Slee he was feeling a mix of nerves and optimism heading into the final.
“[I feel] really good and proud. It means a lot to win.”
Overall, the standard was incredibly high, NZ Young Farmers chief executive Cheyne Gillooly adds.
“Every one of these finalists should be immensely proud of what they’ve achieved. These young farmers represent the very best of our sector, and the talent, leadership and commitment they’ve shown gives me a lot of confidence in the future.”
While the Young Farmer of the Year title is headed south, Waikato dominated the junior contests. A year 10 duo from Putaruru College and John Paul College won the Junior Young Farmer of the Year competition with the Otewa Gumboot Gang from Otewa School claiming the AgriKidsNZ event.
