Rangitata Sharemilkers Win Canterbury/North Otago

Media release
Canterbury Sharemilker of the Year
29 March 2006

Rangitata Island Sharemilkers Take Supreme Canterbury/North Otago Title

Rangitata Island sharemilkers Kieran (35) and Leonie (38) Guiney were tonight named 2006 Canterbury/North Otago Sharemilker of the Year at a function in Timaru tonight.

The Guineys are 50:50 sharemilkers, milking 680 cows on a 190ha property owned by the Rangitata Island Partnership, producing 280,127kg/ms.

The couple were first time entrants in the awards, entering this year, they say, because they like to continually challenge themselves and to benchmark themselves against the best.

“We wanted to walk the talk,” Kieran says.

They began their dairy industry involvement with a contract milking job in Darfield in 2002. They took on their sharemilking position with 680 cows on Rangitata Island in 2003 and in 2004 also simultaneously sharemilked a further 680 cows in Fairlie.

In June this year the couple move onto their own farm in Fairlie.

Before their contract job, Leonie was a dairy industry consultant, while Kieran was an instrument technician.

The Guineys believe their strategic approach and the emphasis they put on making time for planning, networking and making the job fun are among their business strengths.

“We are very clear on how to turn pasture to milk profitably.”

They say they are also always ready if a good business/investment option comes their way.

“Our motto is ‘the key is to be ready’. Detailed cashflow management means we can always project our end-of-year position and go to the bank for more borrowings,” Kieran says.

Their future farming goals are to “always do a good job and have a good reputation which will attract the right staff and opportunities”.

They make time for interests off farm too with both of them interested in multi-sport and general fitness and their family (they have four young children). Kieran relaxes hunting and fishing, while Leonie likes writing, running and photography.

The Guineys will now go forward to represent Canterbury/North Otago in the New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year national final to be held in Christchurch on May 13, competing for a national prize pool of nearly $60,000.

The 2006 New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year Competition is run in association with Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) and is sponsored by Dairy InSight, ACC, Bank of New Zealand, Blue Wing Honda, Dexcel, Ecolab, Fonterra, Livestock Improvement and Ravensdown.

Runners up in the competition were Graeme Wall and Shelley Singer from Ashburton. Third place went to Lance and Wendy Main from Ikawai.

A field day will be held on the winners’ farm at 884 Badham road, Temuka (supply # 36854) on 11 April 2006.

Other results were:

Agriculture ITO – Human Resource Management Award Keiran and Leonie Guiney
Environment Canterbury – Environmental Management Award Kieran and Leonie Guiney
Pye Contracting – Aims and Attitude Award Lance and Wendy Main
Riverside and Rural Veterinary Services – Animal Health Award Graeme Wall and Shelley Singer
Dairy InSight first time entrant award presented by Alistair Body Hayden and Rachael Finch
Federated Farmers Leadership Award presented by David Moore Kieran and Leonie Guiney
ACC Thinksafe Farm Safety Award presented by Russell Hendry Hayden and Rachael Finch
Bank of New Zealand Financial Management Award Kieran and Leonie Guiney
Blue Wing Honda ATV Safety Award presented by John Bishop Hayden and Rachael Finch
Ecolab Farm Dairy Environment Award Mike and Jodie Higinbottom
LIC Best Herd Records Award Ewan and Leann Hollever
Ravensdown Pasture Management Award Kieran and Leonie Guiney

…ends

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