Young farmer host calls it a day

After 21 years as the live event host of The National Bank Young Farmer competition, Jim Hopkins, is hanging up his vocal chords and calling it a day. Jim says the 2011 competition will be his last. “It’s sad” he says, “but I’ve always known the day would come. I raised it with a previous Contest Manager and again last year with the NZYF CEO and the time seems right now. When you bump into Young Farmers who were babies when their dads were competing, it’s probably time for a trip to the works, so to speak.”

“Jim has seen many changes in the event and has seen it grow enormously over his time” says NZ Young Farmer Chief Executive Richard Fitzgerald. “His contribution to the event has been enormous. He has compered nearly 150 Regional Final shows and twenty one Grand Finals; he has flavoured the event for over a generation of NZ Farmers and we are grateful for Jim’s commitment. We wish him all the very best for his new endeavours”.

Last year, Jim became the Deputy Mayor of the Waitaki District and says the responsibilities of that new position have also been a factor. “You do get invited to more weekend functions and there are times when you have to fill in for the Mayor or other Councillors so there is a potential for conflict.”

Jim began to act as compere of Contest events in 1991. “I was contacted by Ray Lew, a lovely guy, who was Skellerup’s Marketing Manager when they were the Contest’s sponsors. He said the show was waning a bit, with more competitors than people in the audience watching, and he wanted to create a popular show that would be fun.

“He said, ‘You’ll get grumbles from some of the old hands but tell them to talk to me’ so that’s what we did and it’s been evolving ever since. I’m proud to say I’ve only missed one Regional Final in all that time.”

Jim says he’s seen huge changes in the Contest. “When I started, there’d be different Practical Challenges on different farms. You could spend half an hour driving from one to the other.” He says the decision to bring the Contest into regional towns has boosted its appeal. He remembers how today’s popular Agri-sport segment “was invented when three of us were driving from Auckland to Hamilton and talking about ways to add things that would be exciting and fun to watch. Agrisport just grew out of that spontaneous brainstorming session.”

Jim will end his long “and hugely enjoyable” time with the Contest at this year’s Grand Final in Masterton, beginning on June the 29th. “It’ll be sad but it’s time and it’s been an honour to have been a part of such an iconic event. The contest has grown enormously over the past 21 years and now it’s on to its next phase. It’ll be good to watch what happens and know you’ve been a part of something that produces more than its share of farming and national leaders. I feel like a proud parent when I meet some of the previous contestants or see them on TV. The contest has helped so many people with their personal development.”