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Clash of the Colleges: South Island edition

At the inaugural Otago Southland Clash of the Colleges held in September, the talented students of Otago Boys’ High School and Blue Mountain College took home the senior and junior awards, a testament to their hard work and dedication.

The Agri Futures Clash of the Colleges was designed to inspire the next generation into Food and Fibre careers. Established by the New Zealand Rural Games Trust, the event aims to provide hands-on experience and foster future leaders in agriculture – four Clash of the Colleges are held across the country every year.

The competition is a fast-paced, amazing race-style event. It challenges students to work in teams of four to complete 16 hands-on modules in just one and a half hours. The modules cover a range of rural skills and are led by experts in the field and supported by Otago University Agriculture and Telford students.

FCANZ Board member Craig Sinclair ran the fencing tie-off module, which offered students valuable insights and practical fencing skills. Blue Mountain College’s Addie McHutchon won a special award for her skill and speed at the tie-off.

Schools that participated included Aurora College, Blue Mountain, Otago Boys’, Southland Boys’ and Girls’, Maruawai, Mt Aspiring, St Peters, Taieri, Tokomairiro, and Central Southland. Unfortunately, the snow kept two schools from attending. However, the day was a success, with students rating the event highly and teachers realising the potential for more students to participate next year.

Written by Daniel O’Regan

Published in WIRED issue 75/December 2024 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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