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Hort NZ chair Barry O’Neill; Māori Development Minister Nania Mahuta and Ahuwhenua Trophy committee chair Kingi Smiler at the unveiling of the new hort trophy at last year’s Hort NZ conference.
The Ahuwhenua Trophy field days and awards dinner planned for Māori farmers and horticulturalists has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Each of the finalist’s field days would normally attract between 200 and 300 people and the awards dinner would host between 700 and 900 guests.
Ahuwhenua Trophy Management Committee chairman Kingi Smiler says the health and safety of finalists, sponsors, whanau and others is paramount.
“Following the advice of our health authorities about large gatherings must take precedence.”
The competition is now in its 87th year with horticulture being showcased for the first time in 2020.
Smiler says “we are pleased that we can complete the judging, because of the very small number of people involved and announce a winner for this inaugural Horticulture competition.”
“The winner will be announced by the Minister for Māori Development, the Nanaia Mahuta and Minister of Agriculture the Damien O’Connor and a special event for the presentation of the Trophy will be arranged once Covid-19 related restrictions are eased.”
Smiler says the three finalists – Te Kaha 15B Hineora Orchard in Te Kaha, Otama Marere in Te Puke and Ngāi Tukairangi Trust in Tauranga are in the kiwifruit industry's top performing quartile have developed sustainable businesses for their whanau and communities.
“What we see in our 2020 finalists is a unique combination of vision, resilience, innovation, good governance and smart management.”
Recently two of New Zealand's top Maori sheep and beef farms held field days as part of the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy competition. The two are: Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust, northeast of Whangarei, and the proprietors of Tawapata Onenui farm on Mahia Peninsula in southern Hawke's Bay. Reporter Peter Burke attended both field days.
Farms from Northland and northern Hawke's Bay are the finalists in this year's Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for the top Māori sheep and beef farms.
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