Students hook team trophy

Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre students came home to Wairarapa with a haul of prizes from the Future Beef Hook and Hoof contest in Feilding.

The competition is an initiative of Future Beef New Zealand (FBNZ) to reignite young New Zealanders' interest and involvement in the local beef industry.

The contest, from May 10-11, was a lead-up to the annual National Beef Expo.

Tutor Simon Bailey said Taratahi students had excelled, taking the Education Institute Excellence Beef Industry Training Trophy that recognised excellence in teamwork.

Individual Taratahi victories included Moritz de Jager, who took gold in the Senior Novice Handler section, and Jessie Head, who won gold in the Intermediate Novice Handler.

Hannah Allen took silver in the Senior Novice Handler class and the Intermediate Novice Handler second place went to Kerri Austin.

In the Hook section, Light Weight Steer first place went to Kerri Austin and second place to Samantha Hodgetts.

The Champion Light Weight Steer category winner was Kerri Austin - also overall winner in Reserve Champion Steer class - and Samantha Hodgetts won Reserve Champion.

The overall Lightweight Purebred Steer first place went to Kerri Austin and second place to Samantha Hodgetts.

All the Angus steers were loaned to the students' Taratahi's Glenside Farm in Wairarapa.

Mr Bailey was integral in getting the students ready for the competition, and was proud of their efforts.

"Our students have been training since February for this competition.

"They've put in so much time week in and week out, on top of their studying.

"It's a huge learning curve for them with most of them never having handled an animal of that size before.

"As well as coming away with excellent stock-handling skills, they also have a lot of fun.

"But the key lesson here for our students is that it gives them an understanding of what hard work can result in - what you put in, is what you will get out."