Fifty years of the Young Farmer of the Year competition

The 1969 finalists from the inaugural competition. From left: Gordon McDonald, Hamish Kynoch, Gary Frazer and Tom Mandeno. Photo credit: Young Farmers

At the first national final, held at the South Pacific Hotel in Auckland in 1969, Young Farmers rubbed shoulders with MPs and other dignitaries. Photo credit: Young Farmers

Young Farmers president Colin Dick presents Prime Minister Robert Muldoon with a mounted lamb at the national final in Christchurch in 1976. Photo credit: Young Farmers

Denise Clemens accepts a two-way radio as part of her regional final prize. Photo credit: Young Farmers

The 1978 contest booklet. Photo credit: Young Farmers

David Skiffington puts out a fire at the 2007 grand final in Rotorua. Photo credit: Young Farmers

Thirty-five of the forty-nine winners from 1969 to 2017 on stage at the jubilee celebrations at Stadium Southland, Invercargill, in 2018. Photo credit: Young Farmers

2017 winner Nigel Woodhead and 1970 winner Allan Anderson cut the fiftieth celebration cake. Photo credit: Young Farmers

Five decades of memorabilia was on show at the jubilee celebrations in Invercargill. Photo credit: Young Farmers