Gore sheep farmer award recipient
It’s 6am on a chilly Friday in July.
The piercing beeps of an alarm clock jolt James Goodwin from his sleep.
The Waitane Young Farmers member flicks on the lights in his Invercargill hotel room.
Practical day has finally arrived.
By 6am he’s at Donovan Park. The beams from floodlights and volunteers’ headlamps slice through the darknesss.
It’s an eerie sight.
Today is the culmination of 18 months of planning for James and the hard-working team of volunteers he leads.
Soon a whistle sounds and seven young men from across New Zealand dart in different directions.
It’s the start of the gruelling practical day for the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final.
Convening the grand final of the iconic contest on its 50th anniversary was a dream come true for the Gore sheep farmer.
‘’I love being involved with NZ Young Farmers.
‘’But I turn 31 in November, which means I’m about to age out,’’ Goodwiin said.
Accepting the challenge of organising the grand final was a big undertaking for the father=ofthree.
‘’I don’t have any staff and I haven’t really had to manage people before, so that was a huge learning curve.
The job was made a lot easier by having an amazing committee that were just as committed to making it the best grand final ever.’’
Goodwin is a natural at leading people, according to the chair of the NZ Young Farmers Contest Board Rebecca Brown.
‘’During his time as convenor James’ professionalism and commitment were outstanding.
‘’His dedication to the grand final was amazing.
‘’He led his committee with respect and his leadership skills were exemplary,’’ Brown said.
The 2018 Grand Final attracted national media attention and made front page headlines.
It was described as the ‘’best ever’’.
It was Goodwin’s performance in the challenging role as convenor which helped him win a NZ Young Farmers Excellence Award.
‘’It’s a bit overwhelming to think there are people within NZ Young Farmers who think what I have done is extraordinary.
‘’It means more to me that the person who nominated me is a North Island-based member.
‘’That’s pretty cool,’’ Goodwin said.
The person James is referring to is Rebecca Brown.
She said he embodies the ethos of the Excellence Awards.
‘’Taking on the role of convenor took James away from his family and farming business.
‘’Honouring him with this accolade shows just how much the NZ Young Farmers Contest Board values the dedication of volunteers who help run the prestigious event.
‘’Without them there would be no contest. James not only set a very high standard for future convenors and grand finals, but will also be a great mentor to others who will step into the role,’’ she said.
Invercargill sharemilker Steve Henderson worked with Goodwin to help plan and organise the memorable event.
‘’I think the award is extremely well deserved.
‘’It was no mean feat pulling off that special grand final,’’ he said.
Goodwin farms 3800 ewes and 800 hoggets on a 480 hectare property near Gore. He’s passionate about NZ Young Farmers and has been a member of the organisation on and off for the past 13 years.
Goodwin has never competed in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year, but has received national accolades for his fencing skills.
He and Lyndon Wallace won the Fencing Competition at the grand final in 2016 and Goodwin was also runner-up the following year.
‘’I always encourage other members to have a go.
‘’They might not always win, but it’s a great opportunity to grow their knowledge and test their skills.’’
Goodwin isn’t done with giving back. He aspires to join the NZ Young Farmers Contest Board as an elected member.