The Country 11/07/24: Chloe Jones talks to Rowena Duncum

New Zealand Young Farmers Chair on the ground from day one of the 2024 FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest at Hamilton’s Claudelands Arena

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us now is Chaer Chloe Jones. Good afternoon, Hey Roe,
how are you very well? Thank you? Look tell us
what is happening over the next couple of days at
Claudeland's Arena.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Today we're kicking off with our tournaments for our members
of New Zealand Young Farmers, So currently just watching the
fencing underway. The stock judging's wrapping up. We've had claybird
shooting this morning and this afternoon we've got a debate
going on. Then we're going to kick off with a
prize giving and open the FMG Young Farmer of the
Year Grand Final. The ceremony at about quarter to five this.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Evening fantastic and then in the massive practical day again tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Huge, huge, So our grand finalists are currently in the
midst of their technical day, so we don't see too
much of them because they're behind the scenes. However, tomorrow
they get to put their skills to the test physically
and they'll be out there all days into it with
all the tasks that our modules have got prepared for them.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
So we've got seven agenal finalists from all around New Zealand.
They've all descended upon Hamilton and I remember this from
years gone by, Chloe, you will too. They just bring
with them the most amazing support teams.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
They do. They do. I think it's you definitely need
someone to carry your gear around, to give you a
hand because by the end of the day they are
absolutely shattered. But it's pretty awesome the atmosphere and culture
that people bring with them, whether it's the members or
their support crew or wider sponsors and stakeholder day.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, absolutely, a lot of modules for them to get
through tomorrow. Will they have farmlets and agrisports as per
usual as well.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Yeah, they definitely will. So there's a few different key
components of the contest and those are definitely two of them.
They're currently being set up at the moment, so trying
not to look too close at what's going on, but yeah,
it's always an exciting part. I know, watching him a
pool Racedowns last year and finish her agrisports was awesome.
Took her a week while to try and get the

(01:55):
pin and the baylor on the tractor, but hey, it
doesn't mean you can't win, so it'll be awesome to
see how they go with that.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
Yeah, absolutely, And of course Saturday we've got the big
evening event and if you can't make it to Hamilton, Chloe,
you can follow along with the live stream.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
You sure can, so head to our New Zealand Young
Farmer's website and you'll see the live stream link. I'd
be careful, wouldn't follow a link from anywhere else these
days because scammers seem to get amongst it where they can.
But I head to the website and get the proper
link and grab some popcorn because it'll probably feel like
you're there in person.

Speaker 1 (02:27):
Absolutely, and that starts from six o'clock pm on Saturday night.
You're going head to head with the All Blacks, Chloe.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
I know, tough crowd. Tough crowd, but hopefully we can
make it work and still get some spectators online if
they're not there in person. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
Jamie McKay is going to be catching up with Emma
Pool from the event tomorrow, shall be providing updates from
on the ground. Are there any early favorites Chloe? Oh?

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Look, I can't can't be by it, but that's for sure.
I think each Grand finalist brings different skills and attributes
every year. I can't say, actually, no, too many of
them this year, so it's going to be really cool
to see how they go.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
Yeah, that's the problem for the likes of you and I, Chloe,
We're now starting to get older and it's not our
friends that are competing every year anymore. Chloe Jones, chair
of the Young Farmer Contest. Hey, look, thank you so
much for your time on the country today.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Have an awesome one row. Yes,