30,287 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast
June 2018 Edition
INSIDE
THIS EDITION New calicivirus
p3 Calving
p16 Earthmoving
Photo: Mike Isle
Winners: West Melton Young Farmers Club members celebrate their success after taking out the Tasman Club of the Year title.
Young farmers club finalists p26 NZ Dairy awards
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West Melton Young Farmers club is in the running for New Zealand Young Farmers Club of the Year following its stunning win in the Tasman regional final of the competition.
❚ by Mike Isle Club chair, Bex Legat, said 20 members, almost all the 26-strong club, will be heading to Invercargill on July 5 to attend the 50th FMG Young Farmer of the Year awards presentation. Ms Legat said the win was particularly stunning because as far as she can recall it is the only time West Melton had entered the club competition. “Eighteen of us went to the presentation at the regional awards night, and the Club of the Year award was the last presented on the
night. When our name was read out, we were really stoked.” Ms Legat thinks the West Melton club had the edge over the ten other clubs in the Tasman region because of its involvement in the community. “We have a very enthusiastic membership. We always have the largest turnout for Young Farmers events, and we volunteer for quite a lot of community and charity events helping with the traffic management and things like that. We are always looking at ways to support other clubs and the region,” she said.
Recently the club organised the National Ploughing Association event hosted by the Courtenay Paparua Ploughing Association. Association chair, Jeff Cridge, described West Melton Young Farmers’ involvement as “fantastic.” All gate takings from the event were returned by the club to the National Ploughing Association. Earlier in the club’s busy schedule, they volunteered at the recent Jump for Cancer event in Hagley Park. The club is heavily involved with charity work, Ms Legat said.
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