The success of the first Bay of Plenty Clash of the Colleges on a Katikati kiwifruit orchard last Friday, May 8 has prompted the organisers to plan an event twice the size next year.

Agri Futures general manager Daniel O’Regan said the inaugural event was a huge success, thanks to the energy, skill and support from local food and fibre companies, training institutions and volunteers who are passionate about the sector’s future.

“It’s all about encouraging rangatahi [youth] to consider all the options across the booming food and fibre sectors and it would not have been possible without the support of the Kenna family kiwifruit orchard who hosted us.”

About 130 college students from Te Awamutu, Morrinsville, Hauraki, Coromandel, Pāpāmoa, Tauranga, Katikati and Waihī attend the event. “Given the success. we will aim to double the event size in 2027!” O’Regan said.

Agri Futures’ Daniel O’Regan with the Gumboot Throwing Champions: first junior girl Avalon Nigro-Gillespie, first junior boy Oscar Rankin, and first-equal senior boy Mathew Spargo and Tangaroa Walker. Photo / Supplied

Two competitions ran – for juniors in Years 9-10, and seniors in Years 11-13 – for two hours, with students in teams of four rotating around the 16 modules, spending six minutes on each.

Modules included seed and plant identification, tree identification, drenching, resilient landscapes, an apiary challenge, break-fencing, wool identification and handpiece work with local sheep farmers, an arboriculture challenge, chainsaw starting, a fencing wire tie-off, garden layout planting, a sulky horse race and equipment identification and a gumboot cleaning exercise, followed by a gumboot-throwing competition.

O’Regan said biosecurity in fruit, kiwifruit grading and avocado facts and nutrition modules were new, to reflect Bay of Plenty’s strong horticulture industry.

“What we’re about is opening students’ eyes to multitude of opportunities across food and fibre [industries in New Zealand].”

O’Regan said students had taken on the modules with energy and enthusiasm.

“For example, we have a sulky race because it burns energy – this time we had harness equipment with it and students had to guess and itemise the equipment. The kids got eight out of 10 for their scores. Harness racing is one of the most niche areas of food and fibre. The kids are actually working it out!

Agri Futures general manager Daniel O’Regan, Kenna family kiwifruit orchards manager Daniel Kenna, and event MC Tangaroa Walker. Photo / Merle Cave

“None of these kids had their mobile phones on them.

“They were concentrating and listening to experts give them advice but also having to think as a team and come up with answers – and having fun while doing so. It was just basically smiles and laughter.”

The event was MCed by Tauranga High School old boy Tangaroa Walker – Farm4Life’s social media agri-educator from Southland/Murihiku, who has more than 360,000 followers.

“What a day,” Walker said. “Seeing these rangatahi get stuck into everything from kiwifruit grading to avocados, forestry, fencing, wool to gumboot throwing. The Bay of Plenty has its name because it is a whenua [land] of plenty, there are so many job opportunities for rangatahi in our food and fibre sector.”

Walker said it was rare for college students not linked to the land to be exposed to the multitude of jobs available across the rural sector.

Kristine Lagala, Phoebe Scherer and Roy Nix from Apata hosted a new module on kiwifruit grading. Photo / Merle Cave

“If you can put yourself in a 12-, 13-year-old version of yourself and think about all the things you’re exposed to, it’s very rare to be exposed to all these potential jobs that could have once you leave school, or while you’re at school.

“A lot of adults say their kids sit at home on their phones all the time but it’s because they’re not getting exposed to these sorts of things. Every kid wants to make money and if they know they can go to a kiwifruit orchard and do what they just did other there – sort fruit – then it’s an opportunity for them.”

The event also exposed students to the module-takers, who experts in their respective industries. “You’ve got 16 people that are super passionate about their work and proud of their industry – and when the students walk in [to their module stand], they feel the passion,” Walker said.