The competition, which took place 19 May, tested the vegetable and fruit-growing knowledge of eight contestants along with the skills needed to be successful growers.
Competitors completed modules in marketing, compliance, pest and disease identification, safe tractor driving, finance, soil and fertilisers, irrigation, and quality control.
Leabourn says he came into the competition wanting to learn more and enjoy the day while seeing where his skill set was.
“It came as quite a nice surprise,” he says of his win. “We had a really good number of contestants this year, and a really diverse group with a mixture of outdoor vegetables, glasshouse, and fruit experience – a really good group of people. We had a lot of fun.”
Despite feeling unsure of his performance in the finance module, Leabourn also took the best theory and best business awards.
“The finance was a bit daunting for me having only done it very briefly in my first year at university. Marketing is a whole different world for me, I’ve never done anything similar to that,” Leabourn says.
“I put a lot of work into the marketing in particular so I was pretty happy to get that result.”
Leabourn will compete on his home ground at the national Young Grower of the Year final in Pukekohe on 4-5 October. He will be competing against five other regional finalists.
