Battle of sexes for rural contest
Rural hunks will go head to head with bachelorettes for the first time at Fieldays after changes to the Rural Bachelor contest.
The new competition is open to both sexes and has been given a new name as the Fieldays Rural Catch of the Year.
While the contest had worked well and achieved its goals, event organisers were looking at ways to improve the formula and this was the right time to change it, Fieldays major event manager Lee Picken said.
‘‘For us, our theme this year is ‘The future of farming’, and we needed to get on board and acknowledge that girls are out there doing the same thing so why not allow them to compete in this competition.’’
Picken said involving females in the contest had ‘‘been on our radar’’ over the past few years. The format of the contest was unchanged and there were no gender-specific competitions.
‘‘They will compete against each other as they do in the farming industry now. The basis of the competition is really to showcase and celebrate the talent we have got out there and it is male and female.’’
Last year’s contest saw the bachelors tested on their skills, attitude and all-round charisma in competitive challenges, which rated everything from physical strength and fitness to their fencing, cooking and dog-handling skills.
Fairlie farmer Mathew McAtamney was the winner.
The contest gave contestants a chance to have a break off the farm and meet other people, Picken said.
Applications were now open for the contest which starts on June 10 and heats up on the first day of Fieldays on June 13.
Rural bachelors and bachelorettes must be New Zealand or Australian residents, aged 21 or over and be employed in the agricultural industry.
They must have clean criminal records with no convictions or pending court cases, and must agree to undergo a background check including a police vetting form. Entrants also have to be single.
At stake is a prize pool worth more than $20,000 for the winner as well as the coveted ‘Golden Gumboot’ trophy.