Top Sharemilkers Line Up For Final Judging

29 April 2002

The top performers in the increasingly competitive sharemilking industry will line up on May 11 in Hamilton to find out the winner of this year’s highly respected and coveted Federated Farmers New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year title.

In addition to the title, there is a $67,000 prize pool on offer, including a Honda TRX 350 FM 4x4 ATV worth more than $15,000.

The winners of regional competitions held during March are currently being judged on-farm by a team comprising Bank of New Zealand representative Blake Finnigan, Dexcel’s Chris Glassey and past national winner Julie Paton who with husband Bruce won the title in 1996.

Skills on which the sharemilkers will be assessed include financial management, productivity and profit management, pasture management, livestock management, communication, hygiene and product quality, employment relations, industry knowledge, environmental management and farm safety.

“Anyone who thinks a sharemilker is just someone who gets up early in the morning to milk cows has absolutely no understanding of the industry,” says Greg Maughan, chairman of the competition’s management committee.

“They are among this country’s most motivated, goal oriented and multi-skilled business people.”

In Hamilton they will undergo the final section of judging, the interview section which will conducted by Glenys Christian, agribusiness journalist and former editor of Straight Furrow.

National sponsors of the competition are Federated Farmers (which also owns the event), ACC, AnchorMart /Town and Country, Bank of New Zealand, Dexcel, Ecolab, Fencepost.com, Blue Wing Honda, Gallagher Group, Livestock Improvement and Ravensdown Fertiliser.

The awards night gala dinner, with MC Gary McCormick, will be held at the Quality Hotel, Hamilton. Tickets ($60 per person) can be reserved by calling national convenor Chris Keeping on 021 425-791 or by emailing: keeping@xtra.co.nz.

Finalists for the Federated Farmers New Zealand Sharemilker of the year 2002 are:

Northland: Kelly and Nicola Ludlow from Kaiwaka
Auckland/North Waikato: Paul and Judy Clark from Ngatea
Waikato: Chris and Angelene Mason from Te Aroha
Taranaki: Simon and Gillian O’Connell from Opunake
Bay of Plenty: David and Shona Knight from Thornton
Central Plateau: Greg and Jody Malcolm from Atiamuri
Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa: David and Louise Powick from Pahiatua
Rangitikei/Manawatu: Murray and Nikki Hawkings from Moutoa
West Coast/Top of the South/Canterbury: Pete and Leanne McDonnell from Hokitika
Otago: David and Jo Drake from Culverden
Southland: Paul Diprose from Winton

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