Young Farmer of the Year Awards
2025
FMG Young Farmer of the Year 2025
Young Leader in our Backyard
Please note that this is part of an article published by the Waikato Times.
The FMG Young Farmer of the Year is Aotearoa New Zealand’s premier agricultural competition, showcasing the skills, talents, and knowledge of young farmers from across the country. The 2025 winner comes from our very own backyard, Hugh Jackson from Te Akau.
Jackson, 26, was crowned the nation’s best young farmer at the grand final in Invercargill on Saturday night. It was a hard-won victory that came on his second attempt at the title and after years of dedication to the land and his community.
Hugh works side by side with his father on their family farm at Te Akau, north of Raglan, where they run sheep and beef. He’s also the chair of the Hamilton City Young Farmers Club and a passionate advocate for rural mental health.
The national final pushed the country’s brightest young farmers through two days of tough practical and theoretical challenges. Competitors had to shear sheep, build fences and bridges, fillet fish, stack hay bales and hold their nerve through a high-pressure quiz round.
With high calibre competitors year on year, it makes for a tight challenge for the coveted spot. Before competitors even arrive at the final competition, they are battling it out in their respective towns to earn the spot to represent their region on the big stage.
Jackson and his competitors play a huge role in shining a light on the exciting future of farming in the Waikato and across New Zealand.
For the Te Akau community, Hugh’s win is something to celebrate — a reminder of the dedication, talent and resilience that’s alive and well on farms throughout the Waikato.
Read the full Waikato Times Article Here
