For the first time in recent history, the Shepherd of the Year competition is set to get underway in the Central Districts region.
It’s been brought to life by a sub-committee of the Farmer of the Year competition consisting of local farmers and rural professionals.
The event has long been crucial to the development of young shepherds in other regions of New Zealand, and is set to give entrants in the Central Districts an opportunity to showcase their practical and theoretical skills – both of which are key to the role of a modern shepherd.
This is something committee member and sheep and beef farmer Hamish Blackburn said was the driving force behind the team bringing the competition to the region in February.
“The people on the ground in the industry, they’re not just shepherds – they’re shearers, fencers, tractor drivers, they’re the nuts and bolts of the industry really,” he said.
“So the whole thing is encouraging them that there’s actually more to being a farmer than just chasing sheep. I mean there’s quite a lot of theory involved, and that side of it is probably just as important these days as the practical side.”
The competition will be open to shepherds between 18 and 28 years of age. Some of the tasks they will be asked to demonstrate include fixing a fence, swinging a gate, and using a dog or team of dogs efficiently.
They will also need to demonstrate theoretical knowledge during an interview process.
The competitive element will be good for the entrants, Blackburn said, but “it’s also just getting them off the farm for a day and showing them some of the different people and businesses that make up the industry”.
There will also be “a whole lot of [rural] professionals around, so they’ll be able to see that side of the industry that they may not have seen before”.
Regardless of career level, the competition is a great opportunity for career development, Blackburn said.
“I just hope they get involved and give it a go. Even if you don’t get to the final three, you’ll still get a lot out of it by just meeting people and building your network, which will definitely help you down the track and maybe open some doors,” he said.
“And as well as that you can always have another crack at the competition next year.”
The prize pool will consist of cash and products up to the value of $5000, and the award will be presented at the Central Districts Sheep and Beef Farm Awards Night 2023 on Thursday, March 2 2023.
Entries close at 5pm on January 27 2023, and will need to go to hunta@inspire.net.nz
