Waikato farmer wins title at nationals
Hugh Jackson, a former member of the Thornbury Young Farmer club, was "over the moon" about his winning his second shot at the national title.
For Mr Jackson the last couple of hours of the competition were "a nerve-racking time".
"I knew it was going to be tight, but credit to the guys."
Winning the national prize had been a dream of his for several years, he said.
"It's been a lot of years in the making".
"I've been there before and got in the top three, which gave me a bit of confidence knowing that I'm capable of doing it.
"Every season is different and you never know what to expect."
Mr Jackson worked on a Southland dairy farm before heading back to his family's Te Akau farm, north of Raglan.
Otago-Southland's hope Cameron Smith, of the Thorn-bury Young Farmer club, who placed fourth overall said his friend, Mr Jackson, had a well-deserved win.
"He's an absolute champion — he does a lot of studies."
Mr Smith won the best agriskills award for Friday's practical challenges.
"I knew I'd done enough to sort of keep myself in the running ... but ended up dropping into fourth after the quiz."
Southland was awarded best region award for its contributions to the community and Southland Food Bank.
Mr Jackson, who had a strong interest in new farming technology and mental health, believed technology would play a "massive part in the future" of farming.
He hoped the win, alongside his role as chairman of Hamilton City Young Farmers Club, would champion Waikato's agriculture industry.
"With this title, I really hope to help showcase the talent we have coming through and highlight the opportunities that are there for young people."
"Where the industry is moving in terms of technology is exciting and there is an opportunity where we can really grow people and provide career opportunities within that."
Mr Jackson also claimed first place in the community footprint module, the agri-business challenge and the agri-sports section.
Competition convener Emma Wilson said they had "an awesome group of competitors this year" who had prepared well.
"They've done really well and they're definitely work-[ing] pretty hard and put a lot of prep in."
Finalists had been preparing since about February, she said.
On Friday the crowd was captivated by the contestants as the showcased their practical farming skills with tasks such as shearing, building bridges, filleting fish and making hay-bales.
The grand final challenges focused on heavy machinery and livestock coupled with exams, interviews, quizzes and public speaking.
The seven finalists were in a head-to-head, attempting to gain precious competition points.
Gareth McKerchar, of Pleasant Point, missed out on the title by 68 points in second place, with George Letham, of Lincoln, finishing up in third place.
New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive Cheyne Gillooly said Mr Jackson impressed everyone with his innovative thinking and shining talent across the agricultural sector.
"FMG Young Farmer of the Year is one of the most prestigious farming awards in the country.
"It's inspiring to see the recognition go to someone who will not only be a strong ambassador for the next generation of young farmers, but across the agricultural industry.
"After seeing the talent from this weekend, the future is bright and forward-thinking for New Zealand's food and fibre sector."
By Toni McDonald
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Otago beat Wellington in high-scoring thriller
Dylan Pledger of Otago on attack during the round three NPC match between Wellington and Otago at Porirua Park. Defence was optional at Porirua as Otago outlasted Wellington 46-41 at Jerry Collins Stadium. Wellington certainly started where they left off against Waikato a week ago, scoring two tries in the first few minutes to shoot out to a 14-0 lead. However, Otago hit back through promising halfback Dylan Pledger and Lucas Casey. The openside flanker scored a second on the half hour mark, before Wellington halfback Esi Komaisavai hit back for the home side. Cam Millar tacked on a penalty to give Otago a deserved 24-19 halftime lead, before Will Tucker scored after the break to stretch the lead. It probably should have been more, but the momentum swung back sharply, when an errant Otago pass was snatched by wing Tom Maiava to race half the length of the field and score. Lock Akira Ieremia crashed over shortly after to give Wellington their first lead of the game. That advantage lasted all of a minute, before more shoddy tackling allowed Jona Nareki to stroll over for Otago, but not long after, Matt Proctor again kept Wellington in the game when he scored out wide. By this stage, it was clear whichever team could just simply keep their heads for a while would win and Otago were first to figure it out. Thomas Umaga-Jensen's ultimately matchwinning try, once again through some frustratingly poor tackling, was followed up by 10 minutes of actually structured rugby by the visitors on both sides of the ball. Millar knocked over a penalty goal in the 73rd minute, which gave them a two-score lead, and the ability to simply line up and defend Wellington's increasingly desperate attempts. The game ended with a bit of drama, with Jackson Garden-Bachop quickly kicking a penalty to leave Wellington with one opportunity off the kickoff to score a try to win. Ultimately, that was too much to ask, as Otago's defence forced a forward pass to end the game. The late shot at goal at least earned a bonus point for the defending champions, who head up the road next weekend to face Manawatu. Otago will fancy their chances, when they head to Pukekohe to play winless Counties-Manukau.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
NPC Rugby live updates: Wellington v Otago
Cam Millar. Photo: ActionPress Wellington bounced back from an opening-round defeat to beat Waikato last weekend, meanwhile Otago went down to Hawke's Bay. Kickoff is 2.05pm.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
NZ Warriors' Harata Butler completes emotional rugby league journey
Harata Butler leads the Warriors out against Canterbury Bulldogs. Photo: Harata Butler wipes away tears at the thought of taking her NRLW career to her childhood home of the Waikato. On Saturday, NZ Warriors women will play the first of three 'home' games at Hamilton, when they face Canberra Raiders at FMG Stadium. The Aussie rugby league competition will also celebrate 'Indigenous Round', so Butler and her teammates have a chance to debut their specially designed 'Te Kahu' jersey, and reflect on the diverse cultural forces that drive their collective journey. "I don't know that I'll ever be able to find the right words to articulate this feeling at this time," she began. "It will probably be a feeling I want to bottle up and keep for a very long time to come." A perfect storm of emotions hits Butler like a tsunami, as she thinks about how proud her deceased parents would be, if they could only be there to share the moment. "Running out on Go Media Stadium for our first home game was a massive experience, but for me personally, this will be my Go Media runout," she admitted. "Chasing the dream to play NRLW has come with sacrifices, like having to leave home. I was definitely trying to come home and play in front of my parents, but unfortunately, they will have the best seats in the crowd. "They actually lay at Taupiri Maunga [cemetery], so being able to play at FMG on Saturday, knowing that it's so close - we'll drive past them on the way through - that's probably going to be my moment and every time I take that field, just knowing they're there." Part of the Warriors' mission statement in their return to the competition is to blaze a pathway for young women all over the country to pursue rugby league as their chosen sport. Taking the NRLW to the Waikato opens a doorway to the next generation, one that didn't seem to exist when Butler was growing up in nearby Huntly. "When I was about eight, right up to when I was about 17, the only professional wahine athletes played netball," she said. "I used to think, 'I want to be a Silver Fern'. "As I got a bit older and I stopped growing, and everyone got taller than me, I started thinking, 'I want to be something else now'. It wasn't until my late teens that the world of rugby union and rugby league smacked me in the face, and said, 'We've been here this whole time'. "I had a bit of a dabble on the field and thought, 'I want to pursue this game'." Harata Butler began her rugby league journey at Huntly's Taniwharau club. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Butler, 32, played her junior footy at the Taniwharau club, where former Warriors Lance Hohaia and Wairangi Koopu began their careers. Her ambitions took her to Auckland and then across the Tasman, where she eventually made her NRLW debut for Cronulla Sharks in 2023. Since then, she has logged 18 games for the Sharks, North Queensland Cowboys and Warriors, while also representing Māori All Stars four times. "If you ever wanted to be the best growing up and playing rugby league, you had to come to Tāmaki Makaurau, because this was where the game was thriving," she recalled. "You saw a lot of wahine throughout New Zealand move to Tāmaki or travel. Now, having FMG Stadium considered a second home for our Warriors NRLW side … it's home for me, it's my first home and, being a proud wahine tangata whenua, it's going to be a memorable time." As they embrace their cultural diversity, the Warriors women gathered at Te Mahurehure Marae in Point Chevalier this week to recognise their roots, whether they be Māori, Pacific Island or Indigenous Australian. "I'm a Gomeroi man from far western New South Wales," coach Ron Griffiths said. "I've grown up knowing who I am. "I can trace my lineage back to first contact in Australia - I was one generation away from the 'stolen generation'. My dad and my aunty used to get moved from house to house … they needed to have a clean set of clothes for school every day or they could have been taken from my grandmother. "A lot of our language was displaced. We weren't allowed to speak language and there are so many parts of our history that are missing. "We weren't even allowed to vote until the 1967 referendum." Griffiths, who also coaches the Indigenous All Stars men, took the Warriors role knowing the part ethnicity would play in their programme. "One thing for us, we've got a real diverse range of culture, so for me, it's been good to immerse ourselves in it and embrace it. "The club is so welcoming, and wants to make sure every culture is acknowledged and everyone feels comfortable." The Hamilton connection has a part to play in that and the Warriors wahine have already invested into building a rapport with their new fanbase, visiting local schools and conducting coaching clinics. "Since day one, we've talked about changing the rugby league landscape in New Zealand," Griffiths said. "Waikato is a rugby league stronghold or it certainly could develop into one, if we put time into it, which we plan on doing." Ron Griffiths took the Warriors job knowing it would come with a heavy accent on cultural diversity. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Butler is sure the occasion will carry her team, who have gathered back-to-back wins for the first time in their history and now chase a third straight against the winless Raiders. "There will definitely be mana pumping through all of us and, in another part of our beautiful country, there will be girls travelling with their families from rural communities," she said. "It's about inspiring the next generation, and we're here now and we're here for the long run." As she reflects on her own pathway and the pioneers that showed the way for her, Butler understands she has been entrusted to continue that work in the NRLW's newest outpost. "I'm so proud that I get to walk out and bring that to life for our girls down in the Waikato and throughout Aotearoa," she said. "We're here in their backyard and for them to see that in person with their own eyes will no doubt light that fire in a few bellies. "To be part of this pioneering part and bringing the professionalism of this game back to Aotearoa … I like that word, but it makes me feel really old. "I try and dodge it as much as I can, but it's a huge honour to be considered a pioneer of our game." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
