Edwin Laver is heading to the FMG Young Farmer of the Year 2026 Grand Final without having competed in the contest before, having come through districts and regionals on his first attempt.
Laver, 29, farms sheep, beef, and deer with his father east of Dannevirke and chairs the Puketoi Young Farmers Club. He trained at Smedley Farm Training College before a rowing scholarship took him to Lincoln University. Since graduating he has worked as a deer hunting guide in the South Island, with a fencing contractor, and spent three and a half years on the Mahia Peninsula across sheep, beef and dairy support farming.
“Going through the regionals, I didn’t know everything, but I knew a lot about a lot of little things,” he says.
“I’m pretty comfortable with my practical side, anything sort of building or fencing or just critical thinking and doing day-to-day tasks, I hopefully will go all right at that.
“It’s the really nitty-gritty… percentages and those quiz questions which will be my downfall.
He says he is the underdog going in, with this being his first attempt.
“There’s definitely some good pedigree amongst the contestants this year, with previous grand finalists that have had a couple of cracks at regionals to get there and have been involved in the Young Farmers right through.”
With a baby on the way and a farm to run, preparation time is short.
“First and foremost, I’ve still got to run the farm, which is probably the biggest time-sapping thing… A few late nights and a few early mornings, and just trying to squeeze it in where I can.”
He says the competition is an opportunity to lead from the front.
“There’s something ridiculous, like 50% of all farmers and growers are going to reach retirement age in the next 10 years, so there is a lot of opportunity for us young kids.
“That’s part of the reason why I joined the Young Farmers, out in our small community, just to get involved with people.
“There’s a lot more to it than just the competition; I’ve met some awesome people along the way, and it will open some doors, there’s no question.”
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