22-year-old South Taranaki farmer Jacinta Kete is going for gold in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition.
22-year-old South Taranaki farmer Jacinta Kete is going for gold in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition.
A 22-year-old South Taranaki farmer is going for gold in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition.
Jacinta Kete, a fulltime working mother, has decided to enter the prestigious competition this year. She works as an assistant manager, milking 270 cows in Awatuna, Taranaki.
She grew up in Waikawau, Waitomo on a sheep and beef station and moved to Hāwera when she was 11. Jacinta left school to go shepherding, worked a few main shears in the gangs, and then did a season of milking goats in Tikorangi in 2017.
Three years ago she moved back to Hāwera and is currently in her third fulltime season of dairy farming. Born and bred into sheep and beef, Jacinta is a first-time contestant giving it her all.
She says from a young age she knew farming was where she belonged, and the community around her has shown immense support.
“Everyone’s always stoked to hear about women in the agricultural industry, especially women who are doing well. The community in South Taranaki has been amazing, especially my local one in Auroa. Everyone is there for everyone.”
Jacinta says her 4-year-old son has been the biggest driver for her career and personal life.
She has also competed in the NZ Dairy Industry Awards the last two years, placing second in the trainee section for Taranaki.
Before getting to the final, Jacinta will have to qualify via the regional final, battling it out against eight others at the Taranaki-Manawatū FMG Young Farmer of the Year Regional Final.
Taranaki district competitors from left; Riley O'Neill, Jacinta Kate and Bradley Bullot.
She will be competing against fellow South Taranaki young farmer Riley O’Neill and Central Taranaki young farmer Bradley Bullot, as well as five other farmers from the Manawatū region.
The eight contestants will go head to head in a buzzer-round quiz to find the winner, who will represent the Taranaki-Manawatū region at the Grand Final.
Each regional final will decide who will be competing at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final, to be held in July in Timaru.
New Zealand Young Farmers board chair Jessie Waite says it’s great that more and more women are getting involved in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest.
“Season 55 is shaping up to be an exciting one. With so many new contestants and 40 per cent of them being women, I can’t wait to see what this year’s qualifiers bring to the table. As a female it’s inspiring to see contestants like Jacinta putting her hand up, giving it a go and getting through to the regional final.”
No competition is the same, and contestants start the day not knowing which of their skills will be put to the test. The winner of the contest will receive around $70,000 worth of prizes.
The Details:
What: Taranaki-Manawatū FMG Young Farmer of the Year Regional Final.
When: February 25. Doors open 5.30pm, quiz starts 6.30pm, followed by a dinner buffet at 7.30pm. An awards ceremony will take place at 8.30pm, followed by live entertainment.
Where: Inglewood Town Hall, 34 Cutfield Street, Inglewood.
Cost: $65 per person for buffet dinner and evening show and $75 per person for the dinner, evening show and round-trip transport from New Plymouth. The bus leaves for Inglewood Town Hall at 5pm and returns to New Plymouth at 11.45pm.Limited tickets are available and are on sale until Sunday, February 12.