Methven talent shines on national stage at Young Farmer finals

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined the competitors on stage in New Plymouth to congratulate the 2026 winners. From left, runner-up Jack Taggart, overall winner Tom Slee and third-place finisher Cam Clayton.

Methven has plenty to celebrate after three local competitors delivered podium performances on the national stage.

Former Mount Hutt College student Jack Taggart finished runner-up in the 2026 FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final, while current students Emma Kinzett and Megan Nish claimed third place in the Junior Young Farmer of the Year competition.

The trio represented the Aorangi region in New Plymouth, where the country’s best young rural talent gathered for the 58th annual contest.

For Taggart, who finished behind Otago’s Tom Slee, the result followed months of preparation and sacrifice.

“I'm pretty chuffed, there's been a lot of hard work put into the build-up to this,” he told the Guardian.

“It was Kane Brisco, the Farmstrong advocate, who told me, ‘you're a winner if you make it to the start line.’ It might sound a bit cheesy, but regardless of reaching the podium, I actually felt really pleased with just that.”

The Grand Final tested competitors across two demanding days, beginning with a three-hour written exam, a business proposal presented to a panel and an HR challenge.

Finalists then progressed to a full day of practical farming tasks, including shearing sheep, building fences, assembling calf feeders and constructing a traditional Taranaki gate.

The classic wire-and-wooden-batten gate proved particularly challenging, with Taggart injuring both thumbs during the task.

“I’d cut one thumb open on a piece of wire, and smacked the other hard with a hammer. Then we had to repair a tyre, which was like trying to thread a needle with two thumbs that weren't really wanting to work,” he laughed.

Despite the injuries, he completed the challenge and said the physical and mental pressure was part of the appeal.

“The highlight for me is just getting pushed physically and mentally and still doing well. I just really love an occasion to rise to. And this was definitely that.”

Jack Taggart makes quick and tidy work of the sheep-shearing challenge.

Taggart said he finished the competition physically exhausted but satisfied his preparation and energy management had paid off.

“The satisfaction was getting up there and knowing I'd put in as much as I could, and then some more.”

Taggart, 27, attended Mount Hutt College about a decade ago and said it was especially rewarding to share the experience with the school’s junior competitors.

“Mount Hutt College was my high school as well, and their agriculture teacher Mrs Jessep was my teacher too. It was neat to have her there supporting all three of us this weekend.”

He also credited the Methven community with helping him reach the national final.

 “There have been friends, family, team members and a professional network who all stepped up so I could prepare. It's really a community effort, not just mine.”

Methven was well represented at the national Young Farmer competitions. From left, Megan Nish, Jack Taggart and Emma Kinzett on stage in New Plymouth.

Mount Hutt College students Kinzett and Nish also made their mark, finishing third against 13 other regional teams from around New Zealand.

They topped the country in the written exam, placing first in the essay section of the competition.

“It was such an amazing experience,” Kinzett said.

“The whole weekend was jam-packed! We just did a little bit of absolutely everything, water troughs, fencing, rain gauges, all of it.”

Preparation had been intensive, with the pair giving up Wednesday afternoon sport to train with agriculture teacher Fiona Jessep.

“We studied practice exams, practised our fencing, and we had a local contractor come in and teach us practical skills,” Kinzett said.

Learning how to complete practical tasks as a team was one of their biggest challenges.

“You'd normally plumb a water trough yourself, or do your fencing yourself. Learning how to do those tasks as a team, and working out who should do what, made Megan and I really play to our strengths,” she said.

The pair also faced the pressure of a live quiz in front of about 700 people.

“Stuff that you'd know normally just disappears up there. But we pulled together, and we’re proud of that.”

Kinzett said the support of Jessep, their families and the wider Methven community had made a huge difference.

“Ms Jessep has been amazing. I can't explain how helpful she's been with everything,” she said.

The experience has also strengthened Kinzett’s ambition to build a career in agriculture and one day compete in the senior contest.

“I'd love to do the actual Young Farmer of the Year competition when I'm older, and I would love to do it with Megan too,” she said.

She also found inspiration in Taggart’s performance.

“He's our regional advocate, and he was very inspirational. He helped us a lot, and he gave us a lot of his time.”

 With a national runner-up and a junior podium finish returning to Methven, the future of rural leadership in Mid Canterbury appears to be in capable hands.