Clunes team captain Mitchell Hepburn holds the 2016 Young Farmer Challenge trophy, with team members, from left, Laura Ross, Matt Reeves and Darcie Seers.

A CLUNES Victorian Young Farmers team has taken out the 2016 Young Farmer Challenge state final at the Royal Melbourne Show.

The winning team of captain and Strangways farmer Mitchell Hepburn, 20, and team mates Matt Reeves, 19, and 20-year-olds Laura Ross, Darcie Seers and Hettie Davidson outperformed nine other teams to win the final in the main arena.

In the competition, teams of four farmers aged 16 to 30, race against the clock to complete a series of challenges to demonstrate the breadth of technical skills used by farmers in everyday farm activities, including stacking hay, leading an alpaca and erecting a portable fence.

Mitchell said two of the team also had to run a sprint around the arena in gumboots and scholl a glass of water. The event showed city people what farmers did on farms and it helped young farmers expand their networks, he said.

The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria competition is run in partnership with Victorian Young Farmers to promote and celebrate excellence in farming and recognise the next generation of farmers.

A 2016 Young Farmer Challenge contestant stacks hay.

RASV chief executive officer Mark O’Sullivan said the competition recognised the importance of young farmers’ involvement in the agricultural industry.

“RASV is committed to supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders through a number of programs, initiatives and competitions, including the Young Farmer Challenge.

“Congratulations to the winning team representing Clunes, who have displayed an incredible array of skills in a competition that showcases and celebrates the modern day farmer,” he said.

The Australian Young Farmer Challenge is a national initiative developed by the Australian Council of Agricultural Societies (ACAS) and run by agricultural societies and organisations across Australia, including RASV. The National finals will be held at the 2017 Royal Melbourne Show in September next year.

Source: RASV.