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Young Farmer winner drives away in brand new Santa Fe 14 July 2009 14 July Immediate Release Young Farmer winner drives away in brand new Santa Fe Hyundai New Zealand is thrilled to announce that Tim O'Sullivan from South Canterbury has won the 2009 National Bank Young Farmer Contest. Tim was named overall winner after a tough, three-day-long Grand Final event held in Palmerston North and has collected the keys to a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe as part of his prize package. Tim was one of seven finalists to have won their respective Regional Finals and earn the right to compete in the Grand Final of the Young Farmer Contest in which Hyundai are a major sponsor. In true farm style, Tim was very much at home in the practical section: "It was probably my favourite part of the competition. I took my time in the amazing race, I was nearly last. Yet seeing as the majority of the points are awarded on quality I'm not too sure why everybody else was in such a hurry!" Not surprisingly, the most stressful time came in those last few moments of the deciding quiz, when there were only a few points in it between Tim and fellow competitor Richard Copland. Tim's happy to admit he went in it to win and had a bit of a vision of being in the night show and taking out the prizes. "I'm absolutely thrilled to have won the Santa Fe. I've been driving a lease one since winning the regional finals and it's a great vehicle – smooth transmission and very comfortable. Kirsten (Tim's fiance) has really taken to it as well, she loves the elevation." "So yes, it's pretty exciting to know that we own one for good now. We've got two pretty aging vehicles here so it couldn't have happened at a better time." Hyundai has been a constant and active supporter throughout the entire Young Farmer Contest, present at all seven regional finals as well as helping raise funds for NZ's Young Farmers by hosting a BBQ at the practical day of the Grand Final event at Awapuni racecourse, where thousands of spectators turned out to see the guys sweat out the practical challenges. The Santa Fe was part of over $65,000 worth of prizes put forward by Hyundai during the event. "Hyundai is proud to be driving the next generation of New Zealand Young Farmers. As a 100% New Zealand owned and operated company, it makes sense for us to get in behind the agricultural industry, the economic powerhouse of this country." Said Philip Eustace, Executive Director Hyundai New Zealand. "Hyundai will continue to be a driving force of the rural economy – we're seeing our rural fleets grow, we've just signed a deal with PGG Wrightson who has started rolling Santa Fe's through their fleet for their rural staff. We are also a strategic partner of the National Fieldays Organisation." Hyundai have been involved in all levels of the competition – at the Hawera event a Santa Fe was part of one of the contest's modules. Contestants had to do a tricky sequence of trailer loading and backing and tyre changing with the Santa Fe. Surprisingly, this was the hardest module in the contest and only one contestant could complete it. Philip finished by saying; "Hyundai New Zealand will be back again next year to lend its support to the Young Farmers who will help shape the economic future of this country." Also a winner on the day was Rhys Fulton of Whangarei, who will be enjoying a new Santa Fe for a month after taking out the Hyundai Gumboot Challenge while Georgia Wycherly from Ashurst has won a Swanndri gift pack valued at $781 by winning the ‘Guess the number of animals in the Hyundai i30' challenge. For further information, please contact Nicky Clarke, 021 855 978, nclarke@hyundai.co.nz
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