Lyndhurst Dairy Farm manager Peter O’Connor was named among eight finalists for the contest in Ashburton on April 15.
He came third in last year’s finals and was also named New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year in the national dairy awards.
The farm manager for a 400-cow dairy farm operation near Methven grew up on a dairy farm in Westport.
After finishing his education, he spent two summers silage contracting for Central Feeds in Winchester and also completed a harvest in Australia’s Victoria.
Last season he went dairy farming full-time as second-in-charge (2IC) on a 900-cow farm, then moved to manage the Lyndhurst property.
Mr O’Connor represented the Hinds Young Farmers Club in his third regional final last year, but this year will be competing under the Pendarves banner.
Alongside him at the regional finals will be fellow club member Jess Cunliffe, Hinds members Levi Hart and Andrew Allan, Five Forks’ Marcus Frost and Glenavy’s George Campbell, James Bell and Robbie Wigley.
The Tasman regional final has another award winner, Sam Smithers, in the eight-person field competing at Hanmer Springs on April 1.
Mr Smithers is the founding member of the West Coast Young Farmers Club and in 2021 won the West Coast Dairy Trainee of the Year contest.
He is 2IC on a dairy farm after growing up on the family farm near Greymouth.
He also previously working at a chicken farm and the Meadow Mushrooms operation.
Joining him in the final will be Lincoln club members Sam Back, Nick O’Connor and Archie Woodhouse, Waimakariri’s George Watson, West Melton’s Ryan Dickey and Tasman Valley’s Bryce Win and Amelia Marsden.
Each of them battled it out in one of 11 district contests held last October to December to be named as the top contenders for the regional events.
The winners of the seven regional finals will compete at the national grand final in July.
New Zealand Young Farmers chairwoman Jessie Waite said the competition continued to attract new entries as about 45% of the young farmers were competing for the first time.
"There’s so much happening in the primary sector right now with science, innovation and new technologies.
"The skills being demonstrated by these contestants are proof that there is much more to farming than herding sheep."
