Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Young Farmers grand final begins

Updated at 6:25 am on 24 May 2012

The National Young Farmer of the year title will be decided in Dunedin this week. Seven regional winners are vying for the honour, as well as $70,000 in prizes.

Three days of gruelling technical and practical challenges begin on Thursday, and the winner will be announced on Saturday night following a televised quiz event.

Young Farmers chief executive Richard Fitzgerald says the public's favourite is Katherine Tucker from Northland, who's the third women to make the grand finals in the competition's 44-year history.

He says the contest is a great spectacle, and attracts people to work in the rural sector.

Mr Fitzgerald says it's a great opportunity for the agricultural sector to position itself before rural and urban people, as well as young people to inspire them in terms of what they can do.

Also taking place this week are the TeenAg and AgriKids grand finals, during which children and teens take part in mini-versions of the challenges.

The Young Farmers' annual conference also begins in Dunedin on Thursday.

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