“It’s actually incredible,” Robertson said.
“It was a three intense days. It’s unbelievable. It feels like a dream.”
There was loud applause and cheering as he made his way through a standing ovation and onto the stage.
“It’s always been a goal of mine to win this title.”
Robertson grew up on a Waikato dairy farm. He recently completed an agricultural commerce degree at Massey University and now works for Fonterra in the trade strategy team in Auckland.
“The opportunities in the agri-food sector are endless, even if you live in the city. You just have to be passionate,” he said.
Robertson was one of seven competitors had to drive a large grape harvester, make sausages, assess health and safety risks using a virtual reality simulator, install an irrigation system for fruit trees, market a line of sheep and sit an agri-business exam.
He won prizes worth $75,000, including a trip to Ireland in September.
He also took out the FMG People’s Choice Award, winning $1000 for his Auckland Young Farmers club.
Robertson’s involvement with Young Farmers began in high school where he started the Teen Ag club.
In 2013 he was in the Hamilton Boys High School team that won the Teen Ag competition .
So, he not only becomes the youngest Young Farmer winner, he is also becomes the first person to take both titles.
“I probably wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for my involvement with Young Farmers early on.”
Central Hawke’s Bay technical field representative Joseph Watts, 28, came second.
He also won the innovation prize, the award for showcasing food production and was named the most tech-savvy contestant.
Waikato vet Emma Dangen, 24, was third and picked up the award for championing environmental best practice.
Alex Field, 25, a stock manager south of Whanganui, won the award for outstanding leadership skills.
In the Junior Young Farmer contest 14 teams of two from secondary schools competed in various modules and farmlets.
The winner was the Napier Boys High School Duds, which was second in Invercargill last year.
Team member Finn Beamish said “We are both stoked to have won it in our hometown.”
His partner Matt Halford said “Competing last year was an advantage because we knew what to expect.”
The year 13 students took home $5000 worth of prizes
The 2019 AgriKidz winner was Hogget Haggis from Blue Mountain College in Tapanui.
The three boys from Tapanui beat 60 other kids.
“We’re so excited. It’s an awesome result. We’ve been doing a lot of study in the lead-up to the final,” team member Archie Chittock said.
