Penola Show Society president Jake Rowe represented SA in the national farmer’s challenge held at the Royal Adelaide show last week.

The prizemoney for the event was $2500 and he along with his teammates Lachy Johnson of Mundulla, Tom Megson from Callington and Helane Blieschke from Melrose took part in the event, which was sponsored by the Australian Wool Network.

The team performed extremely well and took out the coveted title competing against, Victoria, NSW, WA and Queensland.

The SA team qualified in 2022 after it was roped in to competing last year on the morning of the event as they were light on teams.

“We successfully came steaming through to first place after a poor start and a 15 second handicap due to performing poorly in the stage quiz earlier that morning,” Mr Rowe said.

“As the state winners in 2002 we were then invited to compete at the national finals in Adelaide this year.”

Teams competed in a group of four and there had to be at least one female in each team.

“We had to take part in an onstage live quiz in the morning answering questions about agriculture, the show movement and famous show faces,” Mr Rowe said.

“This decided our handicap and starting position for the challenge that evening.

“We ended up with a handicap of seven seconds and second to leave the start. We then had a variety of challenges to complete from throwing a fleece, using a chainsaw to cut and build a fence, irrigation systems, building a scarecrow which catches on fire and has to be put out, a hot lap in a V8 ute and finally the iced coffee skull.”

The SA team won quite convincingly with about a 10 second lead over Victoria who finished second.

As co-ordinator of the farmers challenge at the Penola Show, Mr Rowe said he was hoping to be able to use the ideas and some challenges from the state finals at local shows.

“Along with Lachy Johnson and Courtney Higgs we would like to run a challenge for the South East and Border Show Association, and to hold a final at a different show each year, with the winning team to go to Adelaide to compete at the state final each year,” he said.

“I urge all young people whether they are from an agricultural background or not to enter some teams in the challenge at their local show.

“It is a great event which everyone enjoys as a competitor or spectator, and at Penola this year there is a very healthy prize pool.”