Rural consultant Cameron Black named Aorangi FMG Young Farmer of the Year

A former Ashburton-based banker has been named the Aorangi FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

Cameron Black, 25, took out the title after winning the fiercely-contested Aorangi Regional Final in Waimate tonight.

The event saw eight finalists tackle a series of gruelling modules, including a fast-paced agri-knowledge quiz.

It was his fourth time competing in a regional final.

“I’m stunned and really excited,” said Cameron, who’s still a member of Hinds Young Farmers, despite living in Christchurch.

He moved north last December and now works as a rural consultant at New Zealand Agri Brokers.

The win has secured Cameron a spot in the prestigious FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final in Invercargill in July.

“Hopefully I can do Aorangi proud,” he told the crowd at the Waimate Shears Pavilion tonight.

“I’ve got a good support crew who came from all over the country to be here.”

The Massey University Bachelor of AgriScience graduate was raised on a sheep and beef farm at Gropers Bush in Southland.

“Competing in a grand final in the 50th year of the contest in the province where I grew up is going to be quite special,” he said.

Cameron’s win netted him almost $12,000 worth of prizes, including an XR150 Honda farm bike.

He also won the coveted Ravensdown Agri-Skills Challenge, the AGMARDT Agri-Business Challenge and the Meridian Energy Agri-Knowledge Challenge.

His partner Soraya Zohrab received special mention in this acceptance speech.

“I think she probably knew more of tonight’s answers than I did, given the number of times she’s grilled me on quiz questions over the last month,” he said.

Cameron enjoys the challenge of the contest.

“It’s a good way to test yourself against some pretty sharp contestants,” he said.

Contract milker Josh McAtamney came second and took out the Agri-Sports Challenge.

Ashburton arable farmer Stephen Blain placed third.

William Green, who’s a farm manager on an 840-cow dairy farm at Fairlie, won the Massey University Agri-Growth Challenge.

The Young Farmer of the Year is an iconic agricultural contest which began in 1969.

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