Finalists Line Up In 2013 Dairy Awards

16 April 2013

Finalists Line Up In 2013 Dairy Awards

The finalists lining up in the 2013 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are evidence of the huge opportunities and varying pathways available to progress in the dairy industry.

The 34 finalists in the New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions are now all known after the completion of 12 regional award programmes last week.

“The finalists have a range of backgrounds and experience in the industry, but are all working hard and achieving great results in their various positions. This is helping them to progress their career and grow their equity to take the next step in the dairy industry,” national convenor Chris Keeping says.

“The range of positions they hold also demonstrates the way the dairy industry has evolved to create opportunities for people to enter and progress at their own pace and in their own way.”

Mrs Keeping says the finalists hold positions from farm assistants, herd managers, farm managers, contract milkers, lower order and 50% sharemilkers, to equity managers and equity partners. “Some are in an equity partnership and are then lower order sharemilking for that partnership. It really is now whatever works!”

She says other trends among this year’s group of finalists appear to be a much greater emphasis on managing people within their business – or the human resource aspect to farming – and having good communication between all stakeholders.

“Having a sustainable farm and farming environmentally friendly has become the new norm among the finalists, just like having sound financial performance systems in place.”

Mrs Keeping says the finalists include a set of brothers, a seven-time dairy industry awards entrant, and a number with university and trade qualifications. The smallest herd size among the finalists is 220 cows, while the largest is 1400 cows.

The finalists will converge on Wellington for the national awards dinner on May 24. Before then, many will host on-farm field days and also prepare for national judging, which takes place in mid-May.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and RD1, along with industry partner AgITO.

Further information on the finalists and on-farm field days can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz. The finalists are:

New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year:
Northland – Ian & Tim Douglas (brothers)
Auckland/Hauraki – James Courtman
Waikato – Andrew & Michelle McPherson
Bay of Plenty – Russell & Nadine Meade
Central Plateau – Garth & Nicola Thomson
Taranaki – Kenneth & Rachel Short
Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa –Shaun & Kate Mitchell
Manawatu/Rangitikei/Horowhenua – Richard McIntyre
West Coast/Top of the South – Peter & Helen McLaren
Canterbury/North Otago – Morgan & Hayley Easton
Southland – Don & Jess Moore

New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year:
Northland – Niall & Delwyn McKenzie
Auckland/Hauraki – Michael & Kylie Cox
Waikato – Gary McFarlane
Bay of Plenty – Chris Mexted
Central Plateau –Blair & Andrea Muggeridge
Taranaki – Michael Kavanagh & Rowena Duncum
Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa – Bart & Tineke Gysbertsen
Manawatu/Rangitikei/Horowhenua – Michael & Raewyn Hills
West Coast/Top of the South – Blue Benseman
Canterbury/North Otago – Richard Pearse
Southland – Daniel & Emma Todd

New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year:
Northland – Jake Thomson
Auckland/Hauraki – Mathew Whittaker
Waikato – Thomas Herbert
Bay of Plenty – Thomas Chatfield
Central Plateau – Todd Adamson
Taranaki – Daniel Regtien
Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa – Ken Aradsen
Manawatu/Rangitikei/Horowhenua – Nicholas Verhoek
West Coast/Top of the South – Sam Riley
Canterbury/North Otago – Adam Caldwell
Otago – Ben Sanders
Southland – James Warren

ENDS

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