The thirty-one year old took first place at the East Coast Regional Final in Greytown on Saturday March 21.
Alsop went home with a prize pack worth over $10,000 including cash, scholarships and products and services. This is his second and final time competing at grand final level.
Alsop works as a sheep and beef consultant in Masterton as well as running a 370-hectare sheep and beef operation with his wife. He also took home top honours in the Lincoln University Agri-Growth Challenge as well as the Ravensdown Agri-Skills Challenge.
In July, Alsop will compete in the Grand Final in Taupo, where he will battle it out for the Champion's title and more than $270,000 in prizes.
The East Coast Regional final practical was held at Memorial Park in Greytown where the crowd watched a strong group of eight contestants display the best of their farming knowledge and skill. The contestants were put through their paces in a variety of challenging modules, from fitting a horse's bridle to building outdoor furniture with pallets, touching on all aspects of farming from practical, hands-on tasks to theory and business components.
Second place went to 27-year-old stock agent, Morgan Lissington, of the Wairarapa Young Farmers Club. He took home $2,900 worth of prizes. He also took out top prize in the Silver Fern Farms Agri-Sport Challenge.
Third place went to Agri-Com Sales Manager Hamish Best (25) from the Eskview Young Farmers Club and fourth place went to Stefan Robinson (30) representing the Wairarapa Young Farmers Club.
Hamish Best won the AGMARDT Agri-Business Challenge.
The 2015 ANZ Young Farmer Contest features 7 Regional Finals culminating in the Grand Final to be held in Taupo, 2 – 4 July.
For more information, visit www.youngfarmers.co.nz
