Britain’s Fittest Farmer 2024: Meet this year’s finalists

After battling it out in three regional qualifiers, the 40 Britain’s Fittest Farmer finalists for 2024 have been announced.

Now in its seventh year, the competition is a unique initiative aimed at kick-starting the conversation about the importance of mental and physical health in agriculture in a friendly, inclusive way.

The selected competitors will meet for the final showdown at the final in September, at head judge Tom Kemp’s Farm Fitness gym in Essex on 15 September. 

Four will be crowned – one from each of the categories below – and all winners take home a £1,000 cash prize.

See also: Britain’s Fittest Farmer 2024 finalists revealed

Men under 40s

Oliver Varley

Age 28

Location Newcastle upon Tyne

Oliver owns a flock of sheep and is part of a share-farming partnership, where he also looks after the beef cattle. New to the competition, he says that he was inspired to take part after a friend entered last year.

Fitness has always been a staple in his life. “I used to do rowing to a fairly high level at university, so I think fitness is ingrained in me, but the sheep certainly keep you fit as well,” Oliver says.

John Carlisle

Age 29

Location Dumfries

Seasoned Britain’s Fittest Farmer competitor John is returning for a fourth time, after taking home first place in last year’s competition.

In terms of training, the Scottish beef and sheep farmer said that it has mainly consisted of Hyrox and lots of running.

“I’ve been training quite a lot and also doing a bit of cycling and keeping strong. You don’t get too much warning of what the workouts will be, so you have to be ready for anything,” he says.

Alex Kane

Age 35

Location Hampshire

Qualifying for the final of Britain’s Fittest Farmer is a significant milestone for agricultural contractor Alex after a bad reaction to a Covid vaccination left him more or less confined to bed for six months.

Until then, he had played rugby at the highest level, including with London Welsh and Harlequins.

Alex follows Farmers Weekly on Instagram and, after spotting a post about the competition, he decided to enter as a goal to reclaiming his health and fitness, once again returning to rugby training to prepare for the final.

Nath Jones

Age 30

Location Powys

It is third time lucky for herdsman Nath, who has won a place in the final after two previous attempts at Britain’s Fittest Farmer.

Although he regularly runs and works out in the gym, participating in the competition has been an eye-opener in terms of the level of fitness needed.

“It was a bit of a surprise in that first year to discover quite how fit you need to be, so it has been a goal to keep improving year on year,” he says.

Daniel Hunter-Evans

Age 36

Location East Sussex

As well as building his strength and fitness, Daniel is busy building farm sheds and infrastructure, and running his own livestock farm.

He was encouraged to enter the competition by a previous winner.

“I’m dead keen on fitness and health and she said it would be right up my street,” says Daniel, who is putting in hours at the gym and running to get into optimum shape.

William Arden

Age 28

Location Lincolnshire

Arable farmer William is a veteran of Britain’s Fittest Farmer, with 2024 marking his fifth year in the final. Staying active is in his DNA.

“Activity is what I find to work best for me; doing some exercise freshens up the mind and takes away troubles,” he says.

William exercises most days, including at his own gym, The Farmyard Gym, which he runs outside farming hours.

David Jones

Age 33

Location Shropshire

Arable and sheep farmer David made it to the final last year, but after narrowly missing out on a trophy he is hoping the experience gained first time round will give him the edge.

He and a university friend had encouraged each other to enter the contest.

“We needed something to aim for after graduating, so we decided to give it a go,” says David, whose exercise regime includes mountain biking, swimming, running and gym work.

Harry Wallis

Age 31

Location Lincolnshire

When injury forced Harry to cut short his rugby-playing days, he headed to the gym to fill that gap.

An upcoming match always gave him a purpose to train, so he needed a challenge to make his gym workouts count.

Cue Britain’s Fittest Farmer and an opportunity to test his stamina and strength.

“I entered the competition last year, but didn’t quite make the grade to get in the final, so I’ve been training a bit more this year. Hopefully, it will pay off.”

Harry Twinberrow

Age 28

Location Leicestershire

By adapting his pre-competition training routine, Harry hopes to improve on his performance in last year’s final.

“I’ve been carrying sandbags to increase my strength and also firewood for Dad’s wood processor,” he reveals.

Harry works for Syngenta as a technical sales rep in veg seeds, but is always on hand to help on his family’s mixed farm in Worcestershire.

Edzus Smildzins

Age 33

Location North Yorkshire

“Everyone needs a challenge,” says Edzus, who has worked on a dairy farm in Market Drayton for the past seven years.

“Fitness is a big part of my life. It helps me at work, but the most important thing is what it means for my mental health.”

Edzus does CrossFit and Olympic lifting and this is his fourth year competing in Britain’s Fittest Farmer.

Women under 40s

Daisy Goldsmith

Age 28

Location Somerset

Farmer’s daughter Daisy has grown up on her family’s mixed farm in Somerset, but she also works as a firefighter, where fitness is an essential part of her role. 

Asked what inspired her to apply, she says: “I’m massively into fitness and need it for my job – the competition really spoke to me. Fitness for me is like farming in that it’s part of my lifestyle.”

Daisy’s current routine involves running, which she says is her “me time”, and she also attends the gym at work about four times a week.

Liz Harries

Age 33

Location Carmarthenshire

Describing herself as a “born-and-bred beef and sheep farmer’s daughter”, Liz works full time as a large-animal vet.

It is her first time taking part in Britain’s Fittest Farmer, after seeing it on social media last year. 

“I felt inspired earlier in the year, and my personal trainer persuaded me to apply,” she explains.

Liz fits in her training around work, going to the gym five to six times a week, and also rides horses in her spare time.

Katie Bleekman

Age 31

Location Devon

Based on her family’s farm just outside of Cullompton, Katie runs her own business as a fitness coach, training equestrians.

She says that she is “relieved” to have made it to the final for a third year on the trot.

“I’ve done it twice before, and made the final both times, so I put a bit more expectation on myself this time,” says Katie.

She goes to the gym three to four times a week and will be maintaining this fitness regime before the final.

Emily Ashford

Age 32

Location Devon 

Retired professional rower Emily has an impressive sporting portfolio that includes representing Team GB in international championships around the globe.

She is currently on a career break from the Metropolitan Police and working full time with her family on their organic dairy, beef and sheep farm.

“I’ve always been someone that needs to train and compete,” Emily explains.

She now plays a number of sports to keep fit, including competitive basketball and cycling, and enjoys going to the gym.

Lindsay Roberts

Age 35

Location Shropshire

For dietician Lindsay, fitness has been a lifelong passion – not only for its physical benefit, but for the social interaction exercise provides and the positive effect it has on her mental health.

The mother-of-two qualified for the competition final two years ago, but then discovered she was pregnant. 

Her husband Chris, a beef and arable farmer, encouraged her to have another go.

She says: “I’d like to say I am training, but with farming and two young children, I’m lucky to fit in one session a week. I take every opportunity to run around with a wheelbarrow and jump over bales!”

Lizzie Phipps

Age 28

Location Oxfordshire

Lizzie works full time on her family’s mixed sheep and arable farm, and she also makes her own forage.

Competing for the first time, she says that her brothers encouraged her to give it a go. “I had such a great day, I just loved it,” she says of the Lincolnshire qualifier.

Mainly an ultra runner, Lizzie takes part in anything longer than a marathon. She has completed 100km challenges previously, and has now signed up for a 100-mile race in December. 

Suzy Parker

Age 27

Location South Yorkshire

Farming near Doncaster, Suzy works alongside her dad on the family arable farm, growing cereals and fodder beet.

She took part in Britain’s Fittest Farmer for the first time last year, and made it to the final. “I’m really excited – I went last year and it was just the best day,” she says. “I came third, so it would be nice to try and do better this year!”

Louise Reade

Age 26

Location Isle of Mull

Mental health has always been important to Louise, so when her friend sent her the details of the competition earlier this year, she was determined to take part.

She farms with her family in Tobermory, and is also a trained veterinary nurse.

“I got into ultra-running and it was amazing – the focus to train and see how far I can take myself. It’s helped me break a lot of barriers. With mindset and grit, you can do anything,” she says.

Sarah Gregory

Age 30

Location  North Yorkshire

Farm vet Sarah Gregory is no stranger to fitness competitions – for the past four years she has been competing in CrossFit events.

“CrossFit is super- social, you go to a class and there are lots of friendly faces, it’s not like going to the gym where no one talks to each other.”

Her job keeps her fit too. “I’m on my feet all day, it keeps me in good nick,” she says.

Emily Forsyth

Age 23

Location Dumfries

“This is my first year doing the competition, but I’ve been twice before to watch,” says Emily, whose family farm beef, sheep and free-range hens.

“My partner, John, was the winner last year, so he told me to get on board and enter for this year.”

Emily has been focusing on CrossFit training, which she does for about 12 hours a week. She will be attending the final with John.

Men over 40s

Andrew Poole

Age 52

Location Devon

In preparation for the final, arable and livestock farmer Andrew has parked up his quad bike, opting instead to get farm tasks done by running and working everyday jobs into his fitness programme.

He used to play rugby and football, and liked the impetus to keep fit that those sports gave him. Now Britain’s Fittest Farmer is providing that inspiration.

“I need something to train for rather than keeping fit for the sake of it,” he says. Michael Georgiou

Age 40

Location Carmarthenshire

Pig farmer Michael is used to picking up trophies on the show circuit with his Saddlebacks, but he is hoping to win an award of his own in the Britain’s Fittest Farmer final.

Combining his job in construction with helping to manage the family’s pig herd maintains a residual level of fitness, but he takes it to the next level by working out up to five times a week in the gym.

It was a friend of his wife’s who encouraged him to put that fitness to the test by entering the competition – and he is delighted that he took up that challenge.

Ed Holmes

Age 46

Location Warwickshire

Growing trees and hedging plants from seed gives Ed a valuable insight into the importance of laying the right foundations for a healthy life.

Just as the saplings in his tree nursery thrive when they have a good root structure, Ed has built up his fitness over the years through regular CrossFit sessions.

“It’s a job to fit in when we are busy in the nursery in the winter,” he admits, “but I try to make it part of my weekly routine.”

Adrian Potter

Age 47

Location North Yorkshire

As a free-range egg producer, physical activity is a regular part of Adrian’s life. But he also makes time for more formal exercise, including fell running.

“It is exercise that keeps me going when I’m up against it,” he says.

“When you are fit and healthy, you can face most things. It was a bit of a shock doing the Britain’s Fittest Farmer qualifier, though. I’ve started doing a bit more training to get ready for the final.”

James Hopperton

Age 49

Location Gloucestershire

Arable farmer James has one of his sons to thank for his place in the competition. “He entered me because he thought I needed something to aim for!’’ he laughs.

It has certainly been a motivator for building up his fitness, at the gym or by playing hockey and cricket.

“It can be difficult fitting in exercise at this time of the year, because I can spend weeks sitting on the tractor or combine, but needs must.’’

Richard Peck

Age 41

Location Suffolk

Defending his title, the 2023 winner of this category may be a year older, but is certainly no less fit.

“I’m going to give it my best shot. I’ve been training fairly hard, but it can be difficult to fit it in when we are harvesting,” says Richard, who works on an arable and beef farm and also has his own flock of sheep.

It is not the first competition he has entered and won – he is a former British and England 89kg weightlifting champion in the men aged 35-39 category.

David Childerhouse

Age 43

Location Norfolk

Mucking-out pigs by hand is a daily chore for David, but those two hours are a good opportunity for a workout.

“I’d rather not do it, but it is a job that needs doing, so I treat it as a training session.”

When he is not busy with the pigs or his arable enterprise, David enjoys CrossFit. “It gets me off the farm. The mental health aspect of it is important because farming can be incredibly isolating,” he says.

Glenn Pude

Age 55

Location Hampshire

After returning to the UK from farming pedigree Charollais ewes in France for 16 years, Glenn combines running a smallholding with lecturing in agriculture at Sparsholt College. 

Keeping fit gives him another goal to aim for. “At my age, I can’t farm like I used to and work 100-hour weeks, but I like to have a purpose – it is important to have a goal,” he says.

James Browne

Age 45

Location Somerset

Sport has always played a big part in James’s life, from rugby and cricket to event riding.

So when his brother suggested he entered the competition, it tapped into his competitive side. “It is a challenge, something for aim for,” says the arable and livestock farm manager.

At what is a busy time of the year in the farming enterprise, James fits in training at the gym at 6am before his working day begins, and manages some running in-between.

Neil Blyth

Age 44

Location County Durham

Halter-training bulls for the auction ring is an unusual inclusion in a workout programme, but needs must for suckler beef farmer Neil, who has 12 animals entered in the autumn sale at Stirling.

“I will have one big strong arm at least,” he laughs.

CrossFit sessions are his principal preparation for the competition – he rediscovered fitness in his late 30s and says he feels fitter at 44 than he did at 34.

Women over 40s

Anne Grindal

Age 43

Location Warwickshire

Farmer’s wife, mum-of-two and freelance equestrian coach Anne, from Bedworth, competed in Britain’s Fittest Farmer for the first time last year, making it to the finals in the Mixed over 40s category.

A keen advocate for mental and physical wellbeing, Anne says that exercise is key to managing a busy lifestyle.

Chloe Grant

Age 45

Location Lincolnshire

Chloe works for Dyson Farming, and grew up on her parents’ smallholding.

“I’ve always had a keen interest in the countryside and rural activities – I’m a keen clay shot and my husband is a farrier,” she explains.

Chloe goes to the gym two to three times a week, and also enjoys going for runs, which she says helps maintain good mental wellbeing.

“If I’ve had a really heavy week, I’ll put my headphones on and go for a run. Everything melts away,” Chloe says.

Sarah Godwin

Age 43

Location Wiltshire

When she’s not on her family’s mixed farm, Sarah enjoys keeping fit and says she entered the competition because of its links with mental health.

She attends a local gym tailored to women over 40. “What I liked was the half-an-hour sessions – and because I’ve got kids and the farm, that half an hour sets me up for the rest of the day without taking too much time,” she says.

Sarah has also recently taken part in fun runs and Tough Mudders.

Amy Moore

Age 46

Location Devon

“For me, I’ve already won because I’ve made it this far,” says Amy, who grew up on her family’s mixed farm, and now works for an agricultural machinery firm.

“It’s a great achievement, and the event is just brilliant,” she says. In terms of training, Amy will be competing in a Tough Mudder, and also takes part in events at her local gym.

Nina Griffiths

Age 43

Location Warwickshire

Shepherdess Nina looks after 1,500 ewes and also manages 200 cattle.

She decided to apply for the qualifiers as she was already planning to attend the Royal Welsh to show sheep.

As for event preparation, Nina says: “I don’t do training and I don’t go to the gym. I’m literally just farm fit.”

Nicola Robinson

Age 42

Location Cumbria

Nicola milks sheep and goats to make cheese. It is her first time taking part in Britain’s Fittest Farmer, but she has considered applying for a number of years.

“Every single year my friends send me the details of the competition,” she explains. “The only training that I’ve done is work on the farm, so I feel like I might need to start now!”

Catriona McGahan

Age 48

Location County Tyrone

Pilates instructor Catriona works in London during the week, and helps manage her family’s beef farm in Northern Ireland at weekends.

Exercise is as much about keeping her mind healthy as her body, and as a keen Gaelic football player, she finds there is a social dimension too: “Fitness has always been a major part of my life. It helps with the down times, it pulls you back up again.”

Geraldine Cowan-Smyth

Age 44

Location County Antrim

As a former hockey and camogie player, Geraldine saw team sport as a great way to exercise and meet new people, and she says she is reaping those benefits from entering Britain’s Fittest Farmer.

Fitness has always been part of her life – so much so that she converted her garage into a gym and runs classes there when she is not busy on her broiler farm.

Geraldine is a first-timer in Britain’s Fittest Farmer: “Someone tagged me in a post about the competition on Facebook so I thought why not give it a go?”

Jennie Woodcock

Age 47

Location Nottinghamshire

Taking part in the competition for a second time, beef and arable farmer Jennie says that she is shocked and amazed to be through to the final.

“I’m looking forward to it because I know what to expect this year,” she says.

“I’m going in to do it for fun! I made some friends last year, which was so nice.”

Her event preparation involves CrossFit training and being farm fit.

Emma Forster

Age 42

Location Fife

Mother-of-four and personal trainer Emma, who runs a gym on the family farm at Wormit, believes exercise is not only good for physical health but for mental health too.

“Regardless of your struggles and what life throws at us, we should all be aiming to be as healthy in mind and body as we can,” says Emma, who grew up on a dairy farm and studied agriculture.

“Mental wellbeing is everything.”