After being born and bred in Marlborough, Mr Wiffen attended Christchurch Boys' High School and graduated from Lincoln University with a bachelor of commerce (agriculture) degree.
He has since worked on a mix of sheep and beef and dairy farms in North Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury and Marlborough, before settling on the West Coast three years ago.
He will be competing in his seventh and last regional final and expected have plenty of support from the small Grey Valley Young Farmers Club (YFC).
He said he expected to get some stiff competition from his fellow finalists, including Oxford's Roscoe Taggart, who was a young boarder at Christchurch Boys' High School when Mr Wiffen was a prefect.
''We boarded together, although he was a few years younger. I remember giving him a few detentions.''
While Mr Taggart is competing in his second regional final, his fellow North Canterbury representative Jono Satterthwaite, of Culverden, is making a first appearance at regional level.
There should be plenty of ''home-town'' support for the four Christchurch district finalists, including Charing Cross couple Vanessa Robinson and Martin Bates, farm environmental consultant Megan Hands and Dunsandel-based farm consultant Simon Ferguson.
Stewart Watson, who helped establish the Golden Bay YFC in 2016, will represent the Nelson-Marlborough district.
The Tasman regional final will be held at Innovation Park in Templeton, Christchurch, on Saturday, April 7.
Competitors will compete in two head-to-head practical challenges, complete a 50-minute exam, an interview and seven agri-skills modules to test their technical and physical ability.
The winner, who will compete in the 50th anniversary grand final at Invercargill in July, will be announced at the completion of an evening quiz hosted by comedian Te Radar at the Innovation Park Hall.
