He may have come second but Richard Copland was still
struggling last week to tally up the $49,600 worth of prizes
he won as runner-up in the National Bank Young Farmer contest
in Palmerston North.
The 30-year-old Gore-based Rabobank finance manager was
particularly pleased to win the $28,000 AGMARDT career
development scholarship, which would allow him to travel
overseas and study aspects of agriculture.
"You can buy the car, you can buy the bike but you can't buy
that trip," he said last week.
Age restrictions meant this was his last attempt at the
national final, and having three times finished runner-up at
the regional qualifying finals, he said this year he tried a
different approach.
He had previously worked on the theory that he should get
through the regional contest on natural ability.
His results showed him otherwise, and this year he did some
work, spending between 20 and 30 hours preparing for that
contest.
Once he was over that obstacle, Mr Copland said he spent
between 250 and 300 hours over the next 11 weeks preparing
for the nationals.
It was a case of covering all his bases and trying to guess
what the organisers might include, and that meant visiting
vineyards, beekeepers, a wool store and dairy farm.
"It's just the way it goes. Sometimes it comes out and
sometimes it doesn't."
Mr Copland said no curve balls were thrown at him during the
contest, rather it was a lack of speed which let him down,
especially on the practical sessions.
"There wasn't anything I couldn't do, but the fact is I
needed to do it quicker."
His strength in finance, mediation and marketing innovation
came through with high scores.
"It's stuff I do every day."
Winning the contest was a case of scoring consistently, not
necessarily winning every section.
Born and bred in Gore, Mr Copland was in partnership with his
parents in a 240ha sheep and deer farm between Pukerau and
Waikoikoi.
He also has shares in a dairy farm.
He graduated bachelor of agricultural science with honours
from Lincoln University and, on graduating, joined PGG
Wrightson in Dunedin as a consultant.
He worked there for six years and two years ago he joined
Rabobank in Gore.
Looking ahead, Mr Copland said other than immediately trying
to catch up on sleep, his focus was on how to use the AGMARDT
scholarship and help Gore host the Young Farmer contest next
year.
One day, he intended to go farming, but there was plenty to
do beforehand.
South Canterbury dairy farmer Tim O'Sullivan won this year's
event.
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