Top Paddock Spring 2017 | Page 5

GIRL POWER! Future Beef NZ member, Cara Doggett, reports of her recent success in the TeenAg National final held in Feilding as part of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition. On the 6th of July, my friend and I travelled to Palmerston North to compete at the Young Farmers Grand final, representing WGHS and the northern region. It was a early morning for us, as we had to complete a exam on farm management and agri business. After the exam we were given a farm let to complete over the course of the day. Which we had to build a planter box and have it 'plant ready' and a wooden fence painted with our team name 'WGHS farming chicks'. Throughout the morning we had to complete small 14 minute modules, all worth so many points. Some of these were soil testing, fuel testing, a artificial cow calving scene, controlling a maize harvester, weed management, animal health and farm safety. Ok the early afternoon Grace and I had to deliver a speech to a panel of judges. Our chosen topic was on 'how to get young people involved in agriculture', with the key ideas being A&P shows and milk for schools. And finally the face off, Grace and I had to make a scarecrow and stand it up in our farm let. It was a awesome day for us both, we gain more knowledge and experience and to top it off we won OVERALL GRAND CHAMPION TEENAG 2017, beating all the boys by 50 points and taking out 1st in practical modules, 1st speech and 2nd in the exam. Left: Cara and her TeenAg partner, Grace Moscrip, with their awards from the TeenAg Final. prize giving. FUTURE BEEF NEW ZEALAND 3