Wednesday, 26 March 2025 07:55

Nominees announced for Young Māori Farmer Competition

Written by Peter Burke

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Puhirere Tau (pictured) is one of the finalists for the Young Maori Farmer competition.

Young Maori farmers from Northland, the King Country and Tairawhiti are the finalists in this year's Ahuwhenua Competition for the top Maori sheep and beef farmer.

They are Coby Warmington, Grace Watson and Puhirere Tau.

The award was inaugurated in 2012 and is designed to recognise up and coming young Maori in the pastoral and horticulture sectors.

Since its inception, the competition has proved to be popular and has attracted high quality entrants.

The finalists this year were selected from several entrants from around the country.

Warmington (29) is the farm manager at Waima Topu Beef Ltd, a bull beef finishing farm in Waima, Northland. The farm has 385 effective hectares of mostly rolling hill country. Warmington lives on-farm with partner Holly and their four children.

Watson (24) is a shepherd general on Puketitiri Station at Te Kuiti owned by Verry Farming running 3,500 breeding ewes and 1,200 replacements. She grew up on her parent's dairy farm at Rerewhakaaitu just south of Rotorua.

For Tau (27) it's a second attempt for glory in the competition. Tau is head shepherd at Puatai Station, a bull finishing block on the East Coast, where he plays a crucial role in managing a 650ha farm.

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