A South Wairarapa Young Farmer is one step closer to winning one of New Zealand’s most prestigious farming awards after being crowned the East Coast FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
Archie Woodhouse, 22, just pipped his elder brother Callum Woodhouse, 24, to take out the East Coast FMG Young Farmer of the Year on Saturday evening, following two days of fierce competition at Solway Showgrounds in Masterton.
Now, Archie Woodhouse gears up to take on six other regional finalists in the ultimate showdown at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final, being held in Hamilton in July.
The weekend’s event was one of seven regional finals happening across Aotearoa between February and April.
“The win came as a bit of a shock, I was just having another crack this year and had no expectations to take home the trophy!” Woodhouse said.
He recently completed his studies at Lincoln University in Christchurch, and has a Bachelor’s in Agriculture and a Master’s in Agribusiness under his belt. He’s now on the family sheep and beef farm in Eketahuna.
“My favourite part of the weekend was actually the exam,” Woodhouse said.
“Coming off the back of uni, I was quite comfortable sitting down and getting stuck into the exam. In saying that, being back on farm for the last couple of months helped me feel a lot more comfortable with the practical challenges thrown at us.”
Another highlight for Woodhouse was having elder brother Callum there competing alongside him.
“It was great having someone with a similar set of skills to me competing, although it was a bit daunting knowing he was breathing down my neck!”
Heading into Saturday night’s buzzer quiz at the top of the leaderboard, the pressure mounted for Woodhouse.
“It’s hard not knowing the point difference heading into the quiz, which adds another element of stress. Luckily, I was able to answer a few of the questions, so I was able to earn some last-minute points.”
Callum Woodhouse clinched second place, and Ben Irwin, 20, secured the last spot on the podium. Both were representing South Wairarapa Young Farmers.
With the Grand Final just months away, Woodhouse is looking forward to meeting the other contestants and other Young Farmers from around the country as well as filling his knowledge gaps.
“Some of the modules this weekend were a bit out of my comfort zone, but it was a great way to learn some new things and figure out where the gaps in my knowledge are as I head into my Grand Final prep.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting the other contestants, as well as catching up with old friends.
“Tasman winner George Dodson and I competed against each other last year, so it’ll be great to go head-to-head again,” he said.
