FMG Young Farmer of the Year 2025: Couple to compete in northern regional final

Kate Hawkings and her partner Daniel Richards are competing against each other in the Northern Young Farmer of the Year regional final.

The FMG Young Farmer of the Year is off to an interesting start for 2025, with a couple going head-to-head in the first regional final of the season this weekend.

Kate Hawkings and her partner Daniel Richards will both be vying for the top spot at the northern regional final, to be held at the Helensville A&P Showgrounds on Saturday, February 1.

Hawkings, 28, a digger driver and Kaipara Young Farmers Club member, said competing alongside Richards added a new dynamic to her preparation.

“This year, I’m taking it a bit more seriously, and it’s pretty cool because my partner is a finalist too, so we’re helping one another study and prep for the competition,” she said.

Hawkings hoped to inspire more young women to enter FMG Young Farmer of the Year, saying she was prepared to put in the hard yards to get those few steps ahead.

“As a woman, I’m aware I’m going to need to work that extra bit [harder] in terms of my physical strength, but nothing’s going to stop me from doing my best,” she said.

“I want to do well so I can look back and be proud.”

New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive Lynda Coppersmith said 25% of regional final qualifiers were women this year, a higher figure than that of previous years.

She said it was “amazing” to see more young women choose farming as a career and stepping up to compete for the title of New Zealand’s best young farmer.

“It’s inspiring and shows the future of the sector is in good hands.”

More about the northern regional final

Kate Hawkings competing at the 2024 Young Farmer of the Year northern regional final. Photo / Dawn Dutton

The northern regional final is the first of seven happening across the country, each showcasing the talent, skills and determination of young people in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.

Throughout the day, contestants will face a series of challenging tasks designed to test their practical skills, technical knowledge and ability to perform under pressure.

The evening’s buzzer quiz will be the final opportunity for competitors to score points, with the top performer earning a spot at the grand final in Invercargill this July.

Joining the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contestants are primary-aged AgriKidsNZ and secondary-aged FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year competitors, showcasing the next generation of talent.

“It’s a great way to show students that there is a variety of career options in the food and fibre sector,” Coppersmith said.

“This industry is incredibly diverse, offering many different pathways and opportunities for them to explore.”