Selwyn Times: October 17, 2018

10 Wednesday October 17 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
News
Trio line-up for
young farmer of year title
DUNSANDEL Young Farmers
member Jonny Brown’s goal
of taking out the FMG Young
Farmer of the Year is back on
track.
The 27-year-old suffered a
setback last year after he failed
to qualify for the hotly-contested
Tasman regional final.
“I missed out by one point.
I was gutted,” said Mr Brown,
who is an assistant manager on a
1000-cow farm at Rakaia.
The narrow loss drove him
to step up his efforts this
year.
He has now won first place
in the Christchurch district
contest at the Courtenay A&P
Showgrounds.
The win has secured the
Lincoln University graduate a
spot in the Tasman regional final
next March.
“It’s a relief to know I’m
advancing to the next stage,” said
Mr Brown.
“But I was cursing a bit when
I had to tackle three sheep
modules in a row. Dairying is
definitely my strong point,” he
said.
TALENTED: Dunsandel Young Farmers members Jonny
Brown, Alex Knowles and Martin Bates have joined the race to
be crowned the FMG Young Farmer of the Year. ​
Fellow Dunsandel club
members Alex Knowles, 25,
and Martin Bates, 29, have also
qualified for the event.
“I’m quite surprised I did as
well as I did,” said Ms Knowles,
who is an agri manager with
Ravensdown.
“I only entered because I
thought it’d be hypocritical
of me to tell other people to
sign up if I didn’t have a go
myself.”
Competitors had to assemble
a shearing hand piece, identify
different types of plants, reverse
a quad bike and trailer, and judge
milking sheep.
Ms Knowles plans to learn how
to shear a sheep and practice her
welding skills before the regional
final.
Martin Bates is a qualified
builder and contract milks
1200 cows across two farms at
Charing Cross.
He’s excited about
competing in his second
regional final.
“The last one was a great
experience because it highlighted
my shortfalls and what I need to
work on,” he said.
Three further district contest
and skills days will be held in the
Tasman region between now and
early December.
SELWYN TIMES
10 November 2018
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Lighting
upgrade for
Lincoln Domain
• By Georgia O’Connor-Harding
NEW LED training lights are in
the process of being installed at
Lincoln Domain.
Two fields will receive new
sport lighting to provide more
training grounds at night for the
growing Lincoln Rugby Club.
It is part of the district council’s
Lincoln Domain sports
lighting upgrade.
District council property and
Commercial manager Douglas
Marshall said it will relieve
pressure on the grounds in the
winter and be a more environmentally-friendly
product.
It has allocated $231,651 for
the upgrade which includes new
LEDs, poles, mains extensions,
controls and switching cabinets.
The installation is expected to
be completed next month.
Lincoln Rugby Club member
Bruce Tweedy said the club is
pleased the lights have been
installed.
“Definitely with the amount
of children playing sport. Lincoln
is so big now. It has really
grown,” he said.
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