The first regional winners were announced in Hawkes Bay on March 1, while the West Coast/Top of the South region will be last to name its winners on March 27. All winners from the 11 regions will contest a national final in Invercargill on May 12.
The awards, which oversee the Share Farmer of the Year, Dairy Manager of the Year and Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions, have attracted 374 entries.
Along with the national Dairy Industry Awards facebook page, each region has its own page where local events are promoted; full details of the entrants and sponsor events can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz
Hawke’s Bay
Share Farmer of the Year
The 2018 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners Thomas and Jennifer Read say it’s been excellent for networking, growth and knowledge of their business.
“It’s been a huge benefit to receive feedback from the judges on ways we can improve our business. Plus we love the thrill of the competition,” they say.
Thomas and Jennifer Read, both aged 28, and their two children, 50:50 sharemilk 260 cows for Shane and Lydia Read on their 91.5ha property at Dannevirke. They would like to progress to farm ownership and as a good start won $9250 in prizes.
“Ultimately we want to create a business that goes beyond our generation.”
Dairy Manager of the Year
The 2018 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year, Gerard Boerjan, entered the awards hoping to benchmark his business against others, and meet new people to grow his support network. He has won $6260 in prizes.
Boergan (50) has successfully farmed in Portugal and Brazil and is now farm manager for Trevor Hamilton on his 553ha Takapau property.
“My farming goal is to buy a 400+ head dairy farm of our own, while keeping my current role. I enjoy my work, onfarm and in a mentoring role for Primary ITO and the local AgriKids.”
Trainee of the Year
The 2018 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year is Brock Cumming (21), a farm assistant on Jane and Larry White’s 1030-cow farm at Ashley Clinton. He won $5680 in prizes.
He wants to progress to a 2IC position. “I want to manage staff in a manner that makes them happy to come to work every day and enjoy the job as much as I do.” He feels his strengths lie in his wide range of knowledge and skills. “I’m not limited to just milking cows and growing grass. I’ve learnt much about electricity, mechanics, engineering, waterways and the environment.”
The Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards field day will be held on March 21, 2018 at 375 Armstrong Road, RD8 Dannevirke.
Manawatu
Share Farmer of the Year
The 2018 Manawatu Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners Richard and Wendy Ridd say being part of a progressive industry was the key to leaving their roles as a contractor and a veterinary technician, respectively.
“We both love working outside and with animals, and the farming lifestyle enables us to create for our family,” they say.
The Ridds are in their third season 50:50 sharemilking 410 cows on a 209ha Ashhurst property owned by Richard’s parents Andrew and Caroline Ridd.
After enduring the low payout in the first year, they have focused on equity growth through herd value and debt reduction.
Trainee of the year
The 2018 Manawatu Dairy Trainee of the Year is Samuel White (22), a farm assistant on Colin MacMillan’s 150ha Palmerston North farm. He won $6305 in prizes.
Despite being born and raised in the city, White has always had an affinity with the land.
He is passionate about the environment and believes it is possible to succeed on farms and care for the planet.
“I want to get myself into a position where I can have an influence on farm practices, and intend to continue my learning through the various courses available.”
The Manawatu Dairy Industry Awards field day will be held on March 22 at 710 Ashhurst Road, Palmerston North.
Dairy Manager of the Year
The 2018 Manawatu Dairy Manager of the Year is Angela Strawbridge. She won $6500 in prizes.
Strawbridge (37) is herd manager for Stewart Dairylands, on James and Debbie Stewart’s 180ha, 420 cow property in Bunnythorpe.
She sees pasture management as fundamental to their system of being free-range, having grass-fed animals and working with the natural environment in producing cost-competitive feed.
“It is a privilege and great responsibility to be able to make a living from the land,” she says. “Great care and good management are needed, with ongoing education to limit farming’s footprint.”
Taranaki
Share Farmer of the Year
The 2018 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners Owen Clegg and Hollie Wham say entering the awards enabled them to learn about themselves and how much they actually know.
Owen and Hollie, who won $13,111 in prizes, believe their strength lies in their team approach to business.
They are in their second season herd-owning sharemilking on Murray and Edna Saxton’s 56ha Patea property, milking 180 cows. Hollie (25) holds a Bachelor of Business Studies and Owen (26) has studied all stages of PrimaryITO; he started in the dairy industry at 16 as a farm assistant.
Farming goals include an equity partnership or farm ownership of a 250 cow farm.
Dairy Manager of the year
Winner of the 2018 Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year competition is James Holgate (26), who was the Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year Runner-Up in 2014. He won $7438 in prizes.
He is herd manager for Tony and Lorraine Lash on their 130ha Midhurst property.
Coming from a town background, he became a farm assistant at 18.
He believes the strengths of the business lies in a well-developed farm. “This allows more time to focus on stock and pasture…. We have a strong well-bred herd with better replacements and improved genetics.” Next year Holgate and his partner Tracy will contract milk on the same farm. They would like to be 50:50 sharemilkers in five years.
Trainee of the year
The winner of the 2018 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year grew up on the farm he now manages.
Andrew Trolove (24) spent his childhood summers bale stacking and relief milking. After working for an agricultural company and travelling, he returned to the family farm last year.
“Being on a family farm, I wish to prove to myself that I have the ability to succeed on my own merits,” he says.
“I’m proud of making it through my first spring on the farm, which was also the wettest on record, followed by a very challenging dry summer.”
Andrew is farm manager for Mark Trolove on his 210ha, 610-cow farm in Opunake. He won $7208 in prizes.
The Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards field day will be held on March 28 2018 at 71 Manawapou Road, RD 2 Patea.
