Fieldays Rural Bachelor 2009 finalists announced

National Fieldays are proud to announce the eight finalists competing for the 2009 ‘Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year®’ title at NZ National Agricultural Fieldays, 10th-13th June, held at Mystery Creek Events Centre, south of Hamilton.

Bachelor finalists hail from Franz Josef, Waiau, Te Awamutu, Matamata, Palmerston North, Hamilton and Morrinsville.

Fieldays event co-ordinator, Lianne Dunbar, says: “We have been impressed with the standard of applications; with several strong contenders from throughout the country, particularly in the Waikato.

“It was a tough decision, but we’re confident we’ve achieved good representation of the typical Fieldays rural bachelor.”

The finalists are:

Andrew Gutsell, a 22-year- old tractor contractor from Franz Josef.

Mark McCauley, a 27-year-old fencing contractor from Hamilton.

Alex van Heuven, a 23- year-old sharemilker from Matamata.

Andrew Wiffen, a 22-year-old asssistant production manager from Waiau.

Matthew Wade, a 31-year-old assistant farm manager from Te Awamutu.

Michael Short, a 25-year-old sheep and beef farmer from Palmerston North.

Tim van de Molan, a 25-year-old rural builder from Matamata.

Grant Mitchell, a 37-year-old dairy farmer from Morrinsville.

 Finalists will battle it out over the four days of National Fieldays, for the coveted ‘Golden Gumboot’ trophy, their share of over $15,000 worth of prizes and title of ‘Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year®’.

Bachelor heats include fencing, cattle work, dog obedience and cheerleading.

Visitors to Fieldays are encouraged to head along to the heats as the blokes face eight female challengers in the first ever Ladies Afternoon. The 16 singles will test their rural skills and knowledge in an entertaining battle of the sexes.