Awards toast top sheep breeders

Amid other more well-known industry competitions the Ewe Hogget Awards has good reason to claim respect and prestige. The competition organisers suggest it represents 29.6 million farm animals across the largest area of farming land in New Zealand focussing on production sustainability of the ewe flock – the most profitable enterprise on sheep and beef farms. 

Moreover, the competition identifies and rewards farmers who have excelled in what they do. Ian Stevenson, President of the New Zealand Sheep Breeders Association speaking at the event says farming successes often require a blend of academic knowledge and the skill of being a true stockman.

Overall winners and recipients of the Ewe Hogget Competition Cup, Bevan & Wendy Hopcroft, run 2350 Coopworth-Texel cross ewes and 650 ewe hogget replacements on their 288ha property at Wendonside in Southland. 

In addition to the grand prize, the second time entrants won the Special Awards for Flock Phenotype sponsored by Tru-Test Group, Flock Performance sponsored by MerialAncare and the Composite Breed Award. 

When asked about their success, in keeping with the dry humour of the evening, Bevan quipped it was down to luck before quickly admitting a deep passion for sheep farming, hard work and marbles, squash, rugby or farming being “a bit of a competitive bugger”. Wendy Hopcroft mentioned input from Blackdale genetics. 

Bevan spoke on the value of the Ewe Hogget Awards for entrants well beyond the monetary prize value including the rigorous assessment process they use to benchmark their own farming practice and the chance to gain insight and mentoring from the expert assessors.

One of the three judges who travelled the length of New Zealand, general manager for Paki-iti Farms Ltd, Stewart Morton, says all farmers acknowledged by the Ewe Hogget Awards had put themselves outside their comfort zones, had analysed their farming objectives and production, and farmed within their environment to the highest levels.  Year on year he noted a raising of the bar of New Zealand’s most elite sheep farmers and seen the benefits to farmers of having a comprehensive regime to benchmark against themselves and peers. 

This year’s 300 entrants were narrowed to 19 South Island and nine North Island farmers. The shortlisted farmers underwent a stringent on-farm examination and review of farm objectives and record keeping with site visits often beginning before daybreak.  

The Ewe Hogget Awards Committee and sponsor network is keen to boost entry levels beyond 500 for 2016 and create new interest among potential contestants from the North Island to become the undisputed competition for the sheep industry. 

Entry is open to sheep farmers of all backgrounds, young and old, those new to farming to those whose families have been farming for generations.

The winners...

Ewe Hogget Special Awards conferred:

MerialAncare Flock Performance Award, Bevan & Wendy Hopcroft 

Ravensdown Large Flock Award, Fraser Avery, Bonavaree Farm

Tru-Test Flock Phenotype Award, Bevan & Wendy Hopcroft

Overall Best Quality Wool Awards, Pet Michelle (presented by the NZ Romney Association)

Young Achievers Award, Hamish Williams (presented by the NZ Ewe Hogget Committee)

Breed Awards conferred: 

Romney, Brendan & Prudence Butler

Composite, Bevan & Wendy Hopcroft

Perendale, Allan & Leann Woodrow

Coopworth, Graeme & Raewyn Black

Fine Wool, Justin & Tui Wilson, Nine Mile Pastoral