The countdown to crowning the 2026 FMG Young Farmer of the Year grand final is on, with the ‘life-changing’ title decided on Saturday night.

Event emcee Te Radar says the title is wide open this year, with the result impossible to call.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever picked a winner, and I don’t know that you can actually,” he says.

“You can excel in one thing or another, but it’s the people who are very good at all the things that are going to take it out.”

The seven senior finalists from around the country pitch a business plan to judges and front an HR module on the technical day.

The practical day will follow, a crowd favourite.

“It is the most visual side of things, and for people who aren’t familiar with everything else, you’ve got that very visual, practical day where you’re testing all those skills in front of people.”

The week also fields Agri Kids teams from primary and intermediate schools and FMG Junior Young Farmer teams from high schools. He encourages families to get their kids involved.

“I reckon the Agri Kids is the highlight of the competition.

“It’s a bloody cracker.”

Now in its 59th season, the competition runs on local organising committees and decades of heritage.

“It’s just a part of the fabric of rural New Zealand.”

The Saturday night quiz is his focus for emceeing, running through Latin names and pronunciation with the judges.

“That is probably the most pressure of any event through the course of the year.”

His message to the field is to keep their heads and read the instructions.

“You can win at this competition without being named the winner.

“It’s what you take away from it.”

CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch/listen or download the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app, available on Apple iOS and Android.