Third ANZ Young Farmer Contest Grand Finalist Named
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 16-03-2015
James Hoban is the third Grand Finalist to be named in the 2015 ANZ Young Farmer Contest.
The twenty-nine year old took first place at the Tasman Regional Final in Kirwee on Saturday 14 March after a very close
and tense Evening Show.
Mr Hoban went home with a prize pack worth over $10,000 including cash, scholarships and products and services from ANZ,
FMG, Lincoln University, Ravensdown, AGMARDT, Silver Fern Farms, Honda, Husqvarna and Vodafone.
James will be juggling training and studying for his first Grand Final with his three day jobs – free-lance journalist
for Country-Wide, part time sheep farmer and working as a Farm Environment Consultant. For what spare time he does have
James enjoys cricket, showing Corriedale sheep, restoring vintage machinery as well as spending time with his wife and
two children. James also took out top honours in the Lincoln University Agri-Growth Challenge.
Mr Hoban is off to the Grand Final in Taupo, 2 – 4 July where he will battle it out for the Champion’s title and more
than $270,000 in prizes.
The Tasman Regional Final was held at the Kirwee Showgrounds where a knowledgeable crowd watched the strong group of
eight contestants display the best of their farming knowledge and skill. The contestants were put through their paces in
a variety of challenging modules, from dairy goat milking to engineering, touching on all aspects of farming from
practical, hands-on tasks to theory and business components.