A GWYNEDD man is to take part in the final of a national farming competition this weekend.

Eifion Roberts, 25, has made it to the last round of Britain’s Fittest Farmer 2021, where he will compete against nine others from across the UK at Tom Kemp’s Farm Fitness gym in Essex on Saturday, October 9 for the male crown.

The finalists will take the ultimate physical assault course designed to test their speed, power and endurance, with the male and female becoming Farming Community Network ambassadors, as well as earning a trophy and £1,000 cash prize.

Originally from Pwllheli, Eifion moved to Gate Farm, Trefor, in 2018, and hopes it will be first time lucky having never entered the competition previously.

This is the fourth and final stage, with Eifion having already passed an online application round, a series of tough physical challenges designed to test speed, strength and stamina, and an interview assessing his suitability as a mental health champion for the farming industry.

He said: “I’ve enjoyed it; it brings the focus off the farm a bit. I’m milking 550 cows, and have a second farm going in next year about three miles apart, so I’ll be managing both.

“I’ve not entered before, but I’ve been into sports since I was young and I enjoy farming as well, and the mental health aspect just brings it all together.

“It (Saturday’s final) will probably be a similar thing (to the previous physical challenges) but more tough, I reckon. We haven’t been told yet what it’s going to be.

“I’m quite nervous, but I’ll just do my best and see how far I go.

“I know some of my friends struggle with their mental health; some of them had help from the DPJ foundation (mental health farming charity set up in 2016 following the death of agricultural contractor Daniel Picton-Jones).

“Farming itself can be stressful sometimes, so just knowing there’s someone to call is great.”

Of the farmers younger than 40, 88 per cent have cited mental health issues as the most significant problem they face.

To address this, Farmers Weekly initiated the Britain's Fittest Farmer competition.

Emma Ashley, the female winner for 2020, added: "Through sharing with a wider audience, it helps to give an insight into farming; how exercise and your mental health help in a job that can be lonely at times.

“If it helps just one individual, that is an achievement already.”