ONE of Australia's leading Angus breeders and an agribusiness marketer are making a bid to establish an Australian young farmers' contest.
Lawsons Angus Stud founder Don Lawson said the idea was modelled on the highly successful New Zealand Young Farmer contest, which had been running since 1969 and gained $1.5 million in sponsorship last year.
In NZ the competition culminates in a televised quiz that includes clips from the day's "agrisports" competition.
The competition tests young farmers' skills in everything from wine-tasting, planting roses and cooking to lopping trees, driving four-wheel-drive motorcycles, building a bridge, putting out a fire, fencing, milking cows and shearing sheep.
Former NZ Young Farmers contest director and now Australian ANZ Agribusiness manager John Redpath said the quiz attracted a huge audience.
"We don't have as much diversity (in farming) as you have here, but a lot of them learn new skills for the competition, such as milking a cow if they come off a sheep property," Mr Redpath said.
NZ contestants must work their way through 22 district finals and seven regional finals before entering the four-day grand final, where they must prepare business plans, undergo interviews, resolve mock workplace disputes and deliver speeches before competing in the agrisports.
"We even have towns almost bidding against each other to host the competition," Mr Redpath said.
"I think a contest in Australia is a great idea, but the challenge is aligning the young farmer groups towards a common goal."
Mr Lawson's proposal has already gained the backing of agri-marketing specialist Michael Pointer, who played a role in establishing the Certified Australian Angus Beef brand.
Mr Pointer has developed a draft business plan for the contest, which he says aims to tap into state and industry young farmer groups.
"It's all about bridging the urban-rural divide and raising the profile of young farmers so urban audiences get an understanding of the diversity of skills you need on the land," Mr Pointer said.
