Lilley Takes out the Ultimate Rural Challenge for 2012
Lilley Takes out the Ultimate Rural Challenge for
2012
Michael Lilley from the Tasman
Region has won The National Bank Young Farmer Contest Grand
Final this evening (May 26th) in Dunedin.
It was
a case of second time lucky for the 26 year old rural
veterinarian from Murchison after he last competed at Grand
Final level in 2009 in Palmerston North.
Mr
Lilley took out the prestigious title after three days of
gruelling competition. The Technical Day at Invermay
Research Station on Thursday tested the brain power of the
Contestants while the more physical side of things took
place at the Forsyth Barr Stadium yesterday at the Practical
Day.
When asked what it mean to be crowned the
2012 Contest Champion Mr Lilley said “it is huge. It‘s a
big title around rural New Zealand. It’s a big honour and
quite an achievement.”
Nearly 1000 people
attended the Televised Evening Show and Ball at Dunedin’s
Edgar Centre which was broadcast live on TVNZ 7 with delayed
coverage on TV ONE at 10pm.
Mr Lilley was joined
by wife Kelly onstage after the big win. 2012 is a big year
for the couple who are expecting their first child this
year. Michael thanked Kelly for keeping him organised
leading up to the final. He also thanked his parents for
their support saying “growing up they taught me everything
I know about farming ”
Mr Lilley said that
the title will give him the confidence to keep moving
forward in the agriculture industry. He hopes to combine
both his work as a vet and as a farmer in the years to come.
The win wasn’t expected for Mr Lilley who
thought that he “came a bit unstuck on the Technical
Day,” however; the technical challenges were where he did
best. He won both the AGMARDT Agri-business Challenge and
the Lincoln University Agri-growth Challenge. He took away a
$15,000 AGMARDT scholarship and a $8,000 conference package
from Lincoln University.
Mr Lilley wasn’t the
only big winner on the night however. Otago/Southland’s
Pete Gardyne also did well by taking out the Practical
Challenges – the Ravensdown Agri-Skills and Silver Fern
Farms Agri-sports. Mr Gardyne received a farm technology
package from Silver Fern Farms worth $8.000 along with
$14,000 worth of goods and services from Ravensdown.
Mr Lilley will be taking the Cloak of Knowledge and the
Contest trophy back to the West Coast along with a prize
pack valued at $70,000 which included $15,000 thanks to The
National Bank, a Lincoln University scholarship for study
towards a Specialist Masters of Professional Studies or
entry to the Kellogg Programme valued at $5,000, Ravensdown
quality products and services to the value of $7000, an
AGMARDT scholarship towards a career development programme
valued at $2,000, a farm technology package courtesy of
Silver Fern Farms valued at approximately $15,000, a Honda
TRX420FPM power steered four wheel drive manual ATV and a
Honda EU20 inverter generator with a combined value of
$18,000, a range of Swanndri clothing to the value of $1,000
and a selection of quality outdoor power equipment from ECHO
to the value of $7,000.
The TBfree New Zealand
Young Farmers 2012 National Conference was also held this
week with delegates from all around the country coming to
Dunedin for workshops, the Annual General Meeting, a bus
trip and more.
The AgriKidsNZ and TeenAg 2012
Grand Finals also took place in Dunedin yesterday. Prue
Buckingham, Jessica Dermody and Lachlan Crosbie from Tokonui
took out the top spot in the AgriKidsNZ Competition. Tom
Monteath and Danny Brooker from Chirstchurch Boys’ High
School were the 2012 TeenAg Champions.
For more
information go to www.youngfarmercontest.co.nz
ENDS