At his seventh attempt, Woodville farmer Angus Brown has won a place in the National Young Farmer Contest.
He took the East Coast title at Dannevirke at the weekend by a single point, in the first of seven regional finals for the contest.
The 28-year-old farms sheep, beef and dairy cattle in partnership with his twin brother Duncan at Kumeroa.
Regional winners compete at the Young Farmer grand final in Gore in July.
