Ploughing Champs success
Sean Leslie and Casey Tilson from Middlemarch, with horses Beau and Dough, took out the Rural News Horse Plough award at the Power Farming NZ Ploughing Championships at Horotiu, near Hamilton, on April 13-14.
Murray Grainger of Mosgiel was one of many competitors from the South Island at this year's national ploughing championships held at Rongotea in Manawatu.
The weather and ground conditions were perfect and large crowds came for the two days of competition.
Chairman of World Ploughing, Colin Millar says the local organisers and the owner of the land where the competition was held stepped up to the mark – in fact went over – because it was a beautiful site and the soil was well prepared.
He says no one could complain about it, the event was very well run.
"The soil conditions were amazing, the level of the grass and the stubble was exceptional. We told the competitors they could remove as much straw as they liked because there was no straw on the site."
Murray Grainger was placed third in the vintage class behind Paul Houghton and the winner John Stalker. Seven competitors contested the vintage class.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive for the past eight years, Sam McIvor is heading for new pastures at Ospri, which runs NZ’s integrated animal disease management and traceability service.
The world's largest wool scouring facility, WoolWorks Awatoto plant in Napier, is back operating at full capacity.
A year on and the problems created by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle has largely dropped off the radar of media and politicians.
Feeling forgotten and in a fragile space financially and mentally.
The European Union Ambassador says the new free trade agreement (FTA) between the bloc and New Zealand will bring significant benefits to both parties.
Less Wellington bureucracy and more local, on-farm common sense was the focus of recent meetings held in South Canterbury as part of the Government's National Woolshed tour program.