South Africans Dominate Central Plateau Dairy Awards
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11pm, March 2
South Africans Dominate Central Plateau Dairy Awards
There was a South African treble at the 2015 Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards last night, with all three major winners having South African roots.
The 2015 Central Plateau Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Johan and Theona Blom, 2015 Central Plateau Farm Managers of the Year, Nathan and Elri Levin, and 2015 Central Plateau Dairy Trainee of the Year, Gerard van der Mark, were all born in South Africa.
“It’s a really exciting result and one I’m sure that will travel far as the news spreads to friends and family in their homeland,” Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards regional manager John Butterworth says.
“Tonight’s results also prove that there are fantastic opportunities available in the New Zealand dairy industry for people with the right attitude to enter and progress quickly.”
The three winners were
announced at the region’s awards dinner at the Energy
Events Centre in Rotorua last night Johan and
Theona Blom immigrated to New Zealand in 2008 and have
quickly progressed up the industry. Johan, aged 47 years,
began as an assistant herd manager and the couple is now 50%
sharemilking 270 cows for Ron and Jan Hall at
Ngakuru. They arrived well qualified for the industry, as
Johan had been working as a drystock agricultural extension
officer having obtained a Bachelor of Science majoring in
Agriculture. Theona, aged 43 years, was an
accountant.
“We entered the Waikato Farm Manager of the
Year competition in 2011 and Central Plateau
Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year in 2013, and think the
benefits of entering the awards are in fine-tuning our
business and not getting complacent. “Our team work and
attention to detail in capturing data through measuring and
monitoring are our strengths. Having good information
definitely helps to make proactive decisions and we work
very well when we put our individual strengths
together.” The Bloms, who won $15,300 in prizes, goal is
to invest in a drystock or heifer grazing block. Runner-up
in the region’s sharemilker/equity farmer contest was
Reporoa 20% equity farm managers, Ross and Karla Shaw,
winning $5500 in prizes. The New Zealand Dairy Industry
Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ,
Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles, LIC,
Meridian Energy, New Zealand Farm Source, Ravensdown, and
Triplejump, along with industry partner Primary ITO. A
change of career has proved a winning move for 2015 Central
Plateau Farm Managers of the Year, Nathan and Elri Levin.
They won $7400 in prizes. The couple left the adventure
sport and wine industries in South Africa eight years ago to
become dairy farm assistants in New Zealand and have
progressed to their current position, contract milking 650
cows at Tokoroa for Ian and Margaret Elliot and John and
Erica Trebilco. Aged 46 and 43, the couple entered the
awards for the first time last year, placing second, and
said the experience was valuable. “We got advice from
leaders within the industry and were able to surround
ourselves with positive people.” The couple hold a
Bachelors Degree in Econonics and a Diploma in Office
Administration, and say their strengths are in their
commitment, drive and organisation. They plan to go 50%
sharemilking 400 cows in 2016. Reporoa contract milkers
Reece Williams and Jessica Berry placed second in the farm
manager contest, winning $5000 in prizes. Third went to
Reporoa contract milkers Matt and Chloe Walker, who won
$1800. The 2015 Central Plateau Dairy Trainee of the Year,
Gerard van der Mark, was in a hurry to start his dairy
farming career, packing his bags and moving to his first
position after finishing his last school exam. His haste
has been rewarded with the title and $6000 in prizes, and
follows his third-placing in his first time entering the
contest last year. “I found lots of benefits from
entering last year’s competition. The awards night was a
fun event to attend and the whole experience just built my
confidence in public speaking and general dairy farming
knowledge.” The 22-year-old is 2IC on a 900-cow
Mangakino farm owned by the Sargent Family Trust. He and
wife Marcelle have two young children and are progressing to
a 600-cow contract milking position in June. The couple,
born in South Africa, has registered their company Maziwa
Pride (which means dairy in Swahili), and plan to further
their dairy education and business management. “When we
have figured out the business side of things, we would like
to save up as much money as possible and grow as quick as
possible to reach our long term farming goal of buying our
first dairy farm at the age of 35.” Rotorua farm
assistant Colin Tremain, aged 26, was second winning $2100
in prizes. Atiamuri 2IC Olivia Wade, aged 22, was third,
winning $1070 in prizes. Central Plateau
Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Johan and Theona
Blom, will host a field day on March 26, while Farm Managers
of the Year, Nathan and Elri Levin, will host a field day on
the Tokoroa farm they manage onMarch 19. Further details on
the winners and field days can be found on www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz. Sharemilker/Equity
Farmer Merit Awards: • DairyNZ Human
Resources Award – Ross & Karla Shaw • Ecolab
Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Jeremy & Jade Wade •
Federated Farmers of New Zealand Leadership Award – Ross &
Karla Shaw • Honda Farm Safety and Health
Award – Ross & Karla Shaw • LIC
Recording and Productivity Award – Johan & Theona Blom
• Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award –
Chris Robinson • Ravensdown Pasture
Performance Award – Johan & Theona Blom •
Triplejump Risk Management Award – Peter Guyton •
Westpac Business Performance Award – Ross & Karla Shaw
Farm Manager Merit Awards: •
Blackman Spargo Strategic Planning Award - Nathan & Elri
Levin • B.O.P. Regional Council Environment
Award – Nathan & Elri Levin • The Vet Club
Leadership Award – Laurence Walden • Fonterra
Best Practice Award – Reece Williams & Jessica Berry
• New Zealand Farm Source Farm Management Award
– Nathan & Elri Levin • Primary ITO
Human Resource Management Award – Reece Williams & Jessica
Berry • Westpac Financial Planning and
Management Award – Matt & Chloe Walker
Dairy Trainee Merit Awards: •
Camco Dairy Services/Waikato Milking Systems Most Promising
Entrant – Claudia Odlin • T.H. Enterprises Ltd
Farming Knowledge Award – Gerard van der Mark •
Rotorua Lakes Council Leadership Award – Olivia Wade •
DairyNZ Practical Skills Award – Colin Tremain