Qld takes out SA Young Farmer Challenge

The event, contested by four teams, was held on Saturday night, on the main arena of the Adelaide Showground, as part of the Royal Adelaide Show and SA Next Generation group's Youth in Ag day.

The winning team was made up of Logan Hahn, Beaudesert, Qld, and Jordan McDowell, Mackay, Qld, as well as former Queenslanders Shaun Sandilands and Emilia Morris, who have recently moved to Adelaide.

Mr Sandilands said the team - some of whom were the defending Qld champions from 2019 - had come second in their state competition at the Ekka last month and were looking for some "redemption".

He said their winning ingredients were "strategy, preplanning and a little bit of hunger".

During the competition, the teams were required to demonstrate a range of skills, including wool handling, chainsaw safety and handling, erecting a fence, making a scarecrow, putting out a fire and "pregnancy-testing", by needing to find the number in the steel drum cows.

Earlier in the day, the teams of four had also taken a theory exam on different agricultural knowledge, with the results of that used to determine start times for the teams.

With the first-place team coming from Qld, a team made up of 2021 Rural Ambassadors will claim the mantle of state champion and will represent the state at the national finals in 2023 - which will be again hosted by the Royal Adelaide Show.

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Young Farmer Challenge coordinator Andrew Hall said the event was gaining some good momentum nationally, since it began in 2011.

He said they were excited about next year, with the chance to have five states represented in the finals.

Mr Hall said this was a great opportunity to get out on the main arena at the showground - which was not something common - and showcase their industry.

"Agriculture isn't just farmers, it's agronomists, vets and agribusiness bankers, and we're trying to support that," he said.