NZ Dairy Industry Awards 2018 regional finalists
Farm Trader takes a look at some of the regional finalists at the 2018 NZ Dairy Industry Awards
Farmers around New Zealand are being celebrated with the 2018 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards well underway.
With regional finals taking place around the country, the awards aim to foster and celebrate learning and development, and showcase skills for everyone from share farmers and dairy managers to dairy trainees. The main award categories are Share Farmers of the Year, Dairy Manager of the Year, and Dairy Trainee of the Year, with many merit awards also given.
Winners from the regional awards compete for the national title, which will be announced at the national awards dinner at ILT Stadium in Invercargill on 12 May 2018. Here’s a round-up of the winners from the regional awards.
Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Industry Award
2018 Auckland Hauraki DIA winners (left to right): DMOTY Terence Potter, SFOTY Chris and Sally Guy, DTOTY Quinn Youngman
The win for the 2018 Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year went to first-time entrants Chris and Sally Guy.
The couple is in their second season of 50/50 sharemilking on Allan Guy’s 80-hectare Papakura property, milking 200 cows. Future farming goals include increasing their herd size and moving into a larger job, continuing to decrease their debt and build their equity, and obtaining farm ownership.
Other major winners are Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Manager of the Year Terence Potter and Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Trainee of the Year Quinn Youngman.
Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Award
2018 Bay of Plenty DIA winners (left to right): DTOTY Bridie Virbickas, SFOTY Natasha and Reece Cox, DTOTY Zoe Gleeson
Reece and Natasha Cox, winners of the 2018 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards, believe they have age on their side when it comes to growing their business and achieving their goals. They won $12,823 in prizes and five merit awards.
The couple undertake contract milking 700 cows for David and Lesley Jensen on their 240-hectare Tauranga farm. Both Reece and Natasha grew up in farming environments and enjoy the outdoors and the farming lifestyle.
Other regional winners are Bridie Virbickas, as Bay Of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year, and Zoe Gleeson, as Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year.
Hawke’s Bay Wairarapa Dairy Award
Hawke's Bay Wairarapa DIA winners (left to right): DTOTY Brock Cumming, SFOTY Thomas and Jennifer Read, and DMOTY Gerard Boerjan
Winning the Hawke’s Bay Wairarapa Dairy Awards is a strong step in the right direction for couple Thomas and Jennifer Read, whose long-term goal is progressing to farm ownership.
Taking away almost $10,000 in prizes for their success as 2018 Hawke’s Bay Wairarapa Share Farmers of the Year was icing on the cake for the couple, who say entering the competition has been excellent for networking, growth, and knowledge of their business.
Thomas and Jennifer currently 50:50 sharemilk 260 cows for Shane and Lydia Read on their 91.5-hectare property at Dannevirke.
The other major winners were Gerard Boerjan, the 2018 Hawke’s Bay Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year, and Brock Cumming, the 2018 Hawke’s Bay Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year.
Manawatu Dairy Industry Award
2018 Manawatu DIA winners (left to right): DTOTY Samuel White, SFOTY Richard and Wendy Ridd, and DMOTY Angela Strawbridge
In an era where the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance is of rising importance, Richard and Wendy Ridd appear to be high achievers.
Not only have the couple won the 2018 Manawatu Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year title but they are also committed to excelling in all aspects of their industry.
The Ridds currently 50:50 sharemilk 410 cows on a 209-hectare Ashhurst property, owned by Richard’s parents, Andrew and Caroline Ridd. This is their third season sharemilking on the farm.
The other major winners were the 2018 Manawatu Dairy Manager of the Year Angela Strawbridge, and the 2018 Manawatu Dairy Trainee of the Year, Samuel White.
Northland Dairy Industry Award
2018 Northland DIA winners (left to right): DTOTY Eden Ritchie, SFOTY Dan and Gina Duncan, and DMOTY Sam Moscrip
Swapping office jobs for dairy farming proved to be the right decision for Dan and Gina Duncan; the couple were recently crowned 2018 Northland Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year.
The Duncans are 50:50 Sharemilkers for the Pouto Topu A Trust milking 1020 cows on a 460-hectare Pouto property.
Other major winners were the 2018 Northland Dairy Manager of the Year Sam Moscrip, and the 2018 Northland Dairy Trainee of the Year, Eden Ritchie.
Taranaki Dairy Industry Award
2018 Taranaki DIA winners (left to right): DTOTY Andrew Trolove, SFOTY Owen Clegg and Hollie Wham, DMOTY James Holgate
Teamwork proved crucial in the success of Owen Clegg and Hollie Wham winning the 2018 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year title.
The couple’s win netted them $13,111 in prizes as well as the prestige of taking the title amid strong competition.
In their second season herd-owning sharemilking on Murray and Edna Saxton’s 56-hectare Patea property, they are milking 180 cows.
Other major winners were the 2018 Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year James Holgate, and the 2018 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year Andrew Trolove.
Waikato Dairy Industry Award
2018 Waikato Dairy Industry Award winners (left to right): DMOTY Chelsea Smith, DTOTY Aaron Courage, SFOTY Amy Johnson and Steve Gillies
The major winners in the 2018 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards are first-time entrants who saw the awards as an opportunity to obtain an independent assessment of their business and to identify areas to improve.
Steve Gillies and Amy Johnson, both aged 31, are contract milking 470 cows for Peter and Marian van der Heyden at Putaruru and won $13,750 in prizes.
Their goals are to continue to progress through the industry by obtaining sharemilking positions, and they believe the strengths of their operation lie in the people.
Other winners were Chelsea Smith, who became the 2018 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year, and Aaron Courage, the 2018 Waikato Dairy Trainee of the Year.
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