increase font size
Are you the 'real' Southern Man?
Souther Field Days (SFD) organisers are on the hunt this year for the 'real' Southern Man.
Men who think they fit the description will be showing off their skills at this year's SFDs at Waimumu, near Gore.
The Southern Man competition is being held at the field days for the first time and the competition has attracted a dozen or so blokes keen to win the title.
Field days publicity officer Justine Williams said the idea for the Southern Man competition came after the last field days were held at Waimumu in 2014.
"It's something a bit different. We want it to reflect Gore's dinner jacket and gumboots theme," she said.
Williams stresses that the contest it is not a rural bachelor competition like the National Fieldays event – and that both single or married blokes have entered.
She says the competition was open to men over 18 years of age, but there was no requirement for entrants to be farmers or work in the rural sector.
"Anyone was able to enter, whether they are a farmer, plumber or chef, it doesn't matter. They just have to prove they are a southern man," Williams says.
She says the winner will prove to be a good all-rounder who can whip up a romantic dinner as well as shear a sheep.
The competition had attracted plenty of support from sponsors including from the archetypical southern man's favourite beverage brewer – Speights.
Each entrant gets a shirt, hat and a goodies bag.
Competitors must complete tasks at the various sponsors' sites, such as stacking blocks, competing in a fashion show and an exercise challenge.
The sponsors and a local personality would help judge the competition to find the Southern Man.
Williams says there are "substantial" prizes for the first, second and third place-getters, and for the crowd favourite.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
The recent 'New Zealand to North America' event was worth the wait, with six Kiwi winemakers and viticulturists meeting 20 key influencers from across the United States and Canada.
New Zealand’s primary industry roots provide strong foundations for new technologies, says Callaghan Innovation’s Agritech Lead.
The Toitū and Technology Viti Conference and Field Day has a focus on the future, with guidance on how to prepare for climate change, including the steps required to become carbon zero.
The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) has found itself in a stoush with NZPork over the controversial National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL).
Fonterra says the sale of its global consumer business and its Oceania and Sri Lankan operations could take 18 months to complete.
The lobby group the Methane Science Accord (MSA) says it welcomes a recent government move to seek outside advice on reducing biological methane targets, rather than relying on recommendations made by the Climate Change Commission.
Well-known scientist Jock Allison has passed away.
After a decade of consultation and court battles, Environment Southland has officially adopted a plan to prevent further decline in the region's water quality.
Farmers are throwing down the gauntlet to politicians - hold an independent inquiry into rural bank lending or face tough questions from the farming sector.
