Logan Wallace says the major life lesson he took from competing in two FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Finals was ‘you always need to be willing to give something a go’.
Logan, who farms a 290ha intensive sheep breeding and finishing property leased from family at Waipahi, South Otago, was a finalist in 2016 and then became the 50th Grand Final winner in 2018.
“A big memory for me is about planning and taking what I had learned from my first final and what I had learned about myself,” says Logan.
“I think what’s really valuable about the competition is the things you learn about yourself. It helps you to find your strengths and, most importantly, it makes you work on your weaknesses.”
For Logan, that included joining Toastmasters following his first Grand Final to help overcome some shyness and mild dyslexia and become more confident about public speaking.
“An important lesson I learned from that and took into the second is about controlling your mind and being able to keep thinking clearly,” he says.
“One of the big things that stays with me is my relief when the practical day was finished. That was incredibly hard.
“But, if you feel one part hasn’t gone well, then you just have to move on from that and carry on because the chances are, if it didn’t go well for you, then it didn’t go well for others.”
Logan said he recalls the most challenging moment of the final, held in Invercargill, was when, in a simulated exercise, a ‘PowerNet cable’ was dropped onto the diggers each contestant was working on.
“That was a really good module and tested us on how we would respond in that kind of emergency. The immediate response was to jump out and run but that would be really dangerous. What we needed to do was stay in the digger and call the number on the PowerNet line.”
Logan had strong support from Otago-Southland Young Farmer members, with his Clinton Young Farmers Club travelling to the Grand Final in Invercargill to support him.
“The people were a big part of what made it such a good experience. I’d say to anyone considering competing, ‘give the competition a go’. You’ll make friends in other parts of your region and from other parts of the country.
“Even by going to the Grand Final to support your local finalist, you will meet people and make friends.
“I still say in touch with some of my fellow finalists. Some are in other parts of the country and we might not see each other that often but when we do meet up, it’s just like being with old friends again – because we are bonded by that shared experience.”
