James Robbie Takes East Coast Title In FMG Young Farmer Of The Year Debut

James Robbie’s first shot at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest turned into a golden ticket to the Season 57 Grand Final.

The 25-year-old sheep and beef farmer from Puketoi Young Farmers made his debut in the iconic competition over the weekend, claiming the East Coast title after a tough day of practical and theoretical challenges at Solway Showgrounds in Masterton. His win secures him a spot in the Grand Final this July in Invercargill, his first-ever appearance on the contest’s biggest stage.

The FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition celebrates top talent in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector. Now in its 57th year, it remains the country’s most prestigious farming award, with the overall winner's prize pool exceeding $90,000 thanks to the Contest's Sponsor family.

"I went into the weekend with no expectations, I was just there to have a crack and enjoy it. So to come away with the win is pretty unreal. I’m stoked to be representing the East Coast," says Robbie.

Lack of experience was both a challenge and an advantage for Robbie.

"I had no idea what to expect going in but in a way, that worked in my favour. I went in with a mindset of just having fun and meeting some awesome people, so to walk away with the win makes it even more special," he explains.

Participants entered one of three categories based on age, ranging from the AgriKidsNZ competition for primary school pupils, the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year for High School Students, and the tightly fought FMG Young Farmer of the Year category, where just six contestants battled it out for the top spot.

Robbie edged his way to victory by clocking up the most points on the day, defeating Dannevirke Young Farmers member Samantha Thomson. Connor Richardson, also from Dannevirke Young Farmers, secured the final spot on the podium.

With a number of individual challenges thrown their way, including a head-to-head, general knowledge ‘buzzer-style’ quiz and sponsor-led modules, contestants were tested on a broad range of practical skills, technical know-how, and their ability to cope under pressure.

"I really enjoyed the Farmlet challenge, it was a solid test of a whole bunch of different skills, which made it really interesting," Robbie explained.

"The quiz was actually my favourite part. It’s not something I usually do on the weekend, but I was just enjoying the challenge. I went in sitting second, got a good run of questions, and managed to pick up 30 points to take the win."

"The Agri-Sports challenge was a bit of a beast with so much going on at once, you really had to have a game plan. Sam [second place] had competed before, so she knew exactly how to tackle it, which definitely helped her out."

With the Grand Final only a few months away, preparation for Robbie starts now.

"Heading into the Grand Final, I’ll be focusing on handling pressure. I know I can do everything, I just need to sharpen my speed, time management, multitasking, and strategy," he says.

"I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. People have already reached out with advice and offers to help me prep, which is awesome. I see myself as a bit of an underdog and everyone loves an underdog, so I’ll be putting in the work and hopefully I can surprise a few people and bring the East Coast its first win since 2007!"

The AgriKidsNZ competition was another crowd-favourite. After a busy morning with over 100 primary school children being challenged to their industry know-how, Matthew Soltau, Hudson Bauckham and Peyton Hunt from Havelock North Intermediate emerged as the region’s victors.

Grayson Cammock, Cooper Charmley and George Baxter from Ruahine School placed second, just ahead of Maggie Trotter, Maggie Jefferd and Greta Bradley from Tikokino School.

Meanwhile, it was a battle of the Napier schools in the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year competition, with Liana Redpath and Kaela Brans from Napier Girls’ High School taking out the title of East Coast FMG Junior Young Farmers of the Year, ahead of Liam Leonard and Jack Dearden from Napier Boys’ High School.

Along with Robbie, the top AgriKidsNZ and FMG Junior teams will now compete in July’s Grand Final in Invercargill.

New Zealand Young Farmers Chief Executive Lynda Coppersmith says the competition continues to highlight the incredible skill and talent of young people in the food and fibre sector.

“Every year, we see more emerging talent stepping up to the challenge. It’s awesome to witness so many competitors putting their skills to the test and showcasing the depth of ability in our industry.”

The FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest is proudly supported by FMG, Ravensdown, Woolworths, Ministry for Primary Industries, Milwaukee, Honda, Lincoln University, Massey University, PTS Logistics, New Holland and Bushbuck.

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