On 25 February 2017, eleven teams from Timaru Boys’ High entered the Teen Ag Young Farmers Competition in Methven. The teams (of two) consisted of all year levels, from Year 9s to Year 13s.

At the start of the day teams were divided up into six prelim groups. Each team had five minutes at each station to complete several activities relating to farming. These activities included soils, oil and lubricants and chemical knowledge, putting together milking cups and milking a dummy cow, plant identification, fencing, operating a front end loader tractor while balancing a ball on the bucket and a general quiz to finish.

From these events, our strongest two would have been fencing and operating the tractor. Coming off farms we have used tractors and had plenty of experience, and for the fencing we were able to have plenty of practice last year with Mr Archibald in Agriculture.

After the prelims were finished, the judges tallied up the points and Cameron and I were announced as finalists for the afternoon session. Joining us was another Timaru Boys’ team, Paddy Ahearn and Bradley Clucas (The Big Boys), and three other teams from Methven High, St Kevin's and Geraldine.

In the finals, we were given three planks of wood, some shrubbery and camo netting and asked to make a maimai within 20 minutes. Once we had made it we had to get inside it and shoot decoys with nerf guns.

Once we had completed the final, we were given the opportunity to watch the Young Farmers compete as the judges assessed all teams’ maimais. Once the Young Farmers’ competition had finished, they announced the winners of our section and Cameron and I found we had achieved first place! For sure, we weren't planning on winning and it did come as a bit of a surprise. Our intentions were only to go there in the morning as we had work lined up with our fathers for that afternoon, but instead, we made a day of it!

We are now one of fourteen teams off to the Manawatu for the finals starting on the 6th of July for three days. Our next step towards the finals is finding sponsorship in order to get up to Manawatu but mainly hitting the books! We are both looking forward to the finals and will be a great experience to compete against the best secondary schools teams in New Zealand. We will also try to get the opportunity to watch the big fellas compete in the Young Farmers final competition. Make sure to watch this space!

Jack Millar and Cameron Lyon